Chosen Stories From The War
by The Black Maiden
Summary: What would it take for the Chosen, the very children of Gods Themselves, to abandon everything they know and defect to the resistance? Well, death is a good start. What follows is only told in stories. (New chapters every week!)
1. And Thus, They Brought Her Back

When the Elders' Assassin, Kon-Mai Mordenna, took her katana in her hands and cut herself open, she did not expect to awaken. Nevertheless, she opened her eyes.

She also hadn't expected to awaken with a plethora of XCOM officials around her while she stared helplessly up at them. They swarmed her like bees and she tried to put her hands up to her face to defend herself.

Someone took her hands and pressed them down again. She wrenched away from their grasp and tried to push away this unseen assailant. She was held down again, and this time a voice said "No no, stay still."

Kon-Mai would not stay still, and she certainly would not take orders from her kidnappers. She tried to roll herself over but found her muscles would not move. With a sinking feeling she suddenly realized how heavy her body felt, as though it was made of lead. When one of the figures moved away, she craned her neck up and looked down at herself.

Blood. So much blood, all over the white gurney she lay on, staining it crimson. Her breastplate was split in two, and she saw the edges of her organ tissue poking through the gash in her stomach.

Someone pushed her down again, and Kon-Mai summoned all her strength and sat up, gasping with the pain of it. She was shaking and though she had gotten this far, she could no longer move any of her limbs, not even to collapse back onto the cot. The only sounds she could mutter were light whimpers, and the words "Let me die."

Someone took her now limp arm, and she felt a pinch against the skin, looked down and saw a tube being taped against the vein, a sharp needle poking into her pale skin. They were trying to push her back down but she was frozen sitting up. Her muscles were not letting up anytime soon.

In the corner of her eye, Kon-Mai saw white. At first she figured this was the light of death coming for her until it moved, migrating into the center of her vision, and she saw it was a woman. Her ivory hair and clothes outlined her, and to Kon-Mai, she looked like the angels she'd heard stories of.

She knew this woman. She'd known her for a long time, almost five years now, since she began this chase. In her raspy, quiet voice, she growled "Commander."

The woman smiled softly, and Kon-Mai would have felt comforted if it was literally anyone else. She trembled and tried to scoot backward as the Commander approached her, but alas her body was still frozen with shock and pain.

Kon-Mai whimpered in protest as the Commander reached out toward her. She flinched as she laid a hand on her shoulder, but felt her body soon unknot itself, the stabbing pain beginning to ebb away. The Commander gently lowered Kon-Mai back onto the gurney, and the Chosen woman relaxed finally.

"Morphine is finally kicking in." Someone to her right said, and the Commander chuckled.

"Morphine, right." Kon-Mai felt the Commander reach behind her head, where they both knew her chip rested at the base of her skull. The Commander's slim fingers curled round it but Kon-Mai found it difficult to even care, so relaxed she was.

"I'm sorry if this hurts." The Commander pinched the chip and tugged. Kon-Mai shrieked at the snap of pain, but within the same second, the darkness swallowed her.

.

.

When Kon-Mai opened her eyes for the second time, the world was still and dark, and for a moment she was sure she was dead, until she blinked a few times. The low light in the room slowly forced her eyes to adjust and she looked around, barely moving her head, which felt like it was on the verge of splitting. As consciousness slowly returned to her, she took note of how incredibly sore she was. She moved her arm and heard a gasp to her left.

"Oh, you're awake!" A light came on and Kon-Mai squinted at the change. "Sorry, I wanted to keep it off so as not disturb you, but it's impossible to do this in the dark."

"What are you doing to me?" Kon-Mai intended to growl, but it came out as a hoarse whisper.

A face moved into her field of view: A dark-skinned human female with freckles on her cheeks and blinding green eyes. She smiled as she saw Kon-Mai react in shock. "Can you still see?"

"What?"

"Tygan was worried the chip removal might have caused some damage to your visual cortex. The Commander did her best to mitigate it…" The human took a metal object and attached a piece of cylindrical plastic to the end, turning on a light. "Open your eyes wide for me."

Kon-Mai in fact closed her eyes, mostly to shield them from the bright light tool the girl was pointing in her face.

"Please?"

"No. Release me. I am no science experiment for you to toy with!"

"I just want to check your pupil dilation. It'll take two seconds, maybe three. Tops."

"And what of it? You wouldn't understand what you see anyway."

"Wanna bet?"

"No, as you shall lose." But Kon-Mai felt her eyelids loosen, as though keeping them closed was too strenuous.

The girl smiled. "Thank you." She shone her tool into the pupil of Kon-Mai's eyeball and the Chosen blinked again, hissing.

"Looks normal. Thank you." She turned off the tool. "You have beautiful eyes."

"Of course I do." Kon-Mai began to push herself up into a sitting position. "I am going to leave now, if that will be all."

"Wait-no, no, no, you're in no shape…you just got out of major surgery!"

"I have had worse." Kon-Mai bit back the stabbing pain she felt in her stomach and slid her legs over the side of the cot. Her armor was gone, replaced by a short cloth gown that was an ugly, slate grey color.

"You've had worse, but you also had your…thing. The coffin." The girl grabbed at Kon-Mai's arm. "You don't have that here!"

"I will heal." She slid off the bed and stood, balancing on unsteady legs, for just a moment. Then her knees buckled and she toppled to the floor. Or she would have, had the human not caught her.

"I told you." The human sat her back on the bed. "God, you're heavy. You were in really bad shape when we got you, and you will be for a while. I'm here to help you, now get back in bed."

Kon-Mai was silent. Instead of resisting, this time she did as the little human asked, but as she did, she peeled back the gown from around her waist and looked at the site of the wound.

"…What happened?" She whimpered. The wound was swollen and red, the edges puffy and jagged. It was stapled in some areas, sewn haphazardly and double-knotted in others. A thin layer of green pus seeped from it. Kon-Mai felt ill.

The human smiled. "Oh wow, it's healing great!"

Kon-Mai growled at her.

"It is, actually. I know it looks bad but all this…" She pulled Kon-Mai's nightgown back down. "It means the wound is healing."

"I don't understand." Kon-Mai spat. "That wound was fatal. I was meant to die there."

The girl was silent, her lips pursed. "The Commander ordered we save you."

The Commander? "Why?"

"I don't know. All I know is when the Commander tells you to do something, you do it. And we did it." She smiled proudly. "When we picked you up you weren't responsive but you had a pulse, and that was enough for us. You flatlined twice on the ride to the Avenger. We brought you back."

Kon-Mai looked around the room. "The people who took me. There were many. What did they do?"

"You were awake for that? I figured you wouldn't remember." She sat on the end of Kon-Mai's bed. "We were transporting you from the garage to the med bay and we lost your heartbeat. Luckily there's a defibrillator station in every room of the ship."

"And thus…you brought me back."

"And thus we brought you back." The girl smiled. "I've been talking a lot, sorry. I should let you rest."

"No. Continue with what you were doing." Kon-Mai laid back and closed her eyes.

"I was just refilling your IV drip." The girl stood and began to fuss with something to her left.

"Why?"

"Well you lost a lot of blood, so we're giving you fluids to-"

"No." Kon-Mai opened her eyes and looked at the girl again. "Why are you doing this?"

"Tygan told me to." She looked over and stretched out her hand. "I'm going to be your assigned nurse while you recover, actually. My name's Malinalli."

"…That's an odd name." Kon-Mai took Malinalli's hand and gave it a single, weak squeeze.

"So is yours." Malinalli winked.

* * *

(Is this a good idea? I dunno.

But it's a pet project of mine. Expect much, much more very soon.)


	2. We're Not Using the Zed Word

For a month, Kon-Mai stayed secluded in the XCOM medical bay, spending most of that month sleeping, in deep meditation, or staring at the ceiling while her thoughts tangled in her mind. Her wounds, despite Malinalli's assurances, were deep and painful, and often seemed just on the cusp of infection. Her IV contained one dose of antibiotics after another and, when the pain got too bad, the occasional shot of morphine so she could relax enough to sleep.

Seclusion leads to depression. Kon-Mai had never been very social with her brothers before, but being surrounded by the unfamiliar faces of people who kept you at arm's length, it was even beginning to wear on her. Tygan was one of the only ones who didn't seem to fear her, but his social skills were lacking to say the least, and thus she didn't trouble him for conversation.

Her only respite was Malinalli. While often swamped with tending to other injured soldiers, when her nurse could get a moment she would come change her bandages or refill the IV, and then take a bit of extra time away just to talk. She was much more talkative than Kon-Mai would ever be, but even listening to the human girl ramble was a nice reprieve from the solitude.

"I think you need a break." The girl said to her one morning while changing Kon-Mai's bandages.

"I have been resting diligently for weeks on end." Kon-Mai replied. "I am already in the middle of 'a break' as you say."

"I think you need a break from resting." Malinalli pouted. "You don't talk to anyone besides me."

"They do not wish for my companionship." Kon-Mai tried to sound dismissive. "I am used to being solitary."

"Is that why you look so sad all the time?"

"I do not look sad, this is just the structure of my face."

"Mhm." Malinalli pulled the new bandages tight and tucked them in. "You've gotten most of your strength back, haven't you? If nothing else, your wound looks much better. I don't even think there's a risk of dehiscence anymore."

Kon-Mai was silent. She hadn't tried to get out of bed again after what happened last time. She hadn't needed to: she had no need for food of any kind and, thus, no need for the restroom facilities the other soldiers used. She also had not showered or bathed herself since she arrived, but that was less due to her own genetics and more out of…apathy.

"A bunch of my colleagues usually like to meet in the bar to hang out." Malinalli kept talking. "I want you to come."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline."

"I told them you were coming though."

"What?" Kon-Mai bared her sharp teeth and growled. Malinalli flinched, but only for a split second. She stood her ground firmly.

"I can't pick you up and force you to go." She said, "but I want you to."

"I can assure you, your colleagues DO NOT want me to join them."

"I think you'd be shocked." Malinalli said. "They're really excited to put a face to the name. Everyone's been talking about you."

"They fear me."

"Yeah but…" Malinalli shifted on her feet. "How do I put this…you have a bit of a growing…fan club."

Kon-Mai growled. "Wonderful. As if the pathetic civilian stalkers were not enough, the very enemy wishes for my attention. Would they like me to autograph their plastic swords?" She said in a high, mocking tone.

"They admire you." Malinalli insisted. "Facing you in battle made a lot of us realize we're woefully underprepared in melee combat. Goldilocks has been trying to make a training regimen based on your work but without you it's all guesswork, and I know she'd love to learn from the best-"

"Cease!" Kon-Mai held up her hand. "You prattle like a Sectoid! Who is this 'Goldilocks'?"

Malinalli seemed to smile knowingly. "I could tell you, but it would be much easier to just…show you."

Kon-Mai bared her teeth, but it was half-hearted. "…I will need garments."

"You can borrow mine…wait…"

Kon-Mai raised a brow.

"I guess you can't. Um…gimme one second!"

.

.

Kon-Mai stared at herself in the mirror of the tiny bathroom. She towered over the sink and had to look down in order to see her reflection, but even at that angle she noticed how ragged she looked. The battle had taken more from her than she'd thought it had. Aside from her main, self-inflicted injury, she was dotted with tiny bullet wounds that had bruised as they healed, leaving her peppered with indigo dots.

She reached up behind her head and gently began to unclasp the tubes around each lock of hair. She had not worn it down since…she couldn't remember when. Her brothers had seen it once, she knew that, but upon being issued the clasps, she put her locks away and didn't question it. Now, her white hair breathed again. Gently, she took hold of her circlet and tugged it away from her skin.

Her eldest brother's hair was soft and radiant, almost glowing. Hers, in perfect contrast, was knotted, kinky and so very oily from being neglected. She shook her head, the while curls bouncing around her shoulders, and ran her fingers through it. It only grew from the back of her head and down her neckline to the nape. There already wasn't much of it, and the way it stuck together made her look as bald as The Hunter. No wonder he wore a hood, it was not a good look on either of them.

Following her hairline, she reached back and felt along the thick scar where her chip used to be. She no longer heard the Elders' voices, and they could not read her thoughts. To them, she must have been presumed dead. She had expected the emptiness in her mind to be stifling, but for perhaps the first time in her life, she had been sleeping peacefully at night.

Kon-Mai reached into the shower and turned it on. She was the Assassin; she'd never wasted such thought on her appearance before, no need to start now. She was cleaning herself for the sake of her health, not to look beautiful.

She pulled off her gown and stared at herself, at her scar, running jagged along her belly. Her dagger had cut so deep; the fact that the Commander not only saved her life, had brought her back to near perfect health…

That woman was hiding something.

Kon-Mai stepped under the hot water, shivering at the sensation. She didn't remember this kind of warmth. Her baths had always been cold, and she herself was always…cold.

She hugged herself and just stood there for a moment, feeling the water run over her body.

Then she reached for the shampoo. If she went to all this trouble to take her hair down, she might as well wash it.

.

.

She put her hair into a single braid when she stepped out, not wanting to encase it while it was wet. With that, Kon-Mai dried herself off and reached for the clothes Malinalli had brought her.

They were small, of course. That was to be expected, no one here was even close to her size. The pants she was given were more like shorts, stopping just below her knees and hugging her body where Kon-Mai was pretty sure they were supposed to hang loose. The shirt was a flowy dress that on a human would come down to the knees. On her, it almost reached her waist and hugged her lady-lumps a bit more than she would have preferred. It had no sleeves, leaving her arms exposed. She looked over the glowing veins and…

Shook her head.

There were no shoes that fit her, of course, so she walked barefoot into the infirmary, the cold metal floor biting the soles of her feet. Malinalli was waiting for her, and beamed when she saw her. "You look so pretty! And your hair! I didn't realize you…" She trailed off.

"I do indeed have hair." The Assassin glowered. "I simply can't leave it flying like my brother can."

"No, no, I totally get it." Despite her dark complexion, Kon-Mai could see Malinalli blushing. "I have to keep my hair back during work so I understand…."

Kon-Mai said nothing, barely meeting her gaze. "Let us get on with it then."

"Yeah." Malinalli held out her hand but Kon-Mai shook her head.

"I can walk perfectly fine, if you lead the way."

"Okay…the canteen is this way." She opened the door and held it. "After you."

Kon-Mai had to duck slightly under the doorframe. Perhaps it was a good thing she was barefoot, she could only imagine the trouble she'd have wearing something akin to heels.

Despite the insistence on her independence, every step Kon-Mai took sent a shot of pain up her legs and into her chest. She clenched her fists, biting her lip and willing herself to keep a steady pace with the small human woman. Thank goodness she was walking slowly.

The canteen was, thankfully, close by. They rounded a corner and the metal shifted to dark, polished wood. The bar was much darker, lit with mood lighting and candles, and Kon-Mai could feel her muscles relaxing in the calm environment.

Until she heard the yelling.

"I TOLD YOU!" A distinctly British voice cried. "WE ARE NOT USING THE ZED WORD!"

"Why not?" Resounded another woman's voice, without the noticeable accent. If Kon-Mai had to guess, she'd say this one was American.

"Because it's RUDE!"

"Rude to who, the zombies? They don't fucking care!"

Kon-Mia heard Malinalli sigh audibly, and she looked over to the source of the nose, where two human women sat at a booth.

"It's the principle of the matter!" The British one said.

"There is no 'principle' to this matter." The other one began counting on her fingers. "They walk like zombies, they're half-rotten, they eat brains, they talk in weird growls, they are zombies, so I will call them zombies!"

"They still have human rights!"

"NO THEY DON'T! And neither do we, Princess! Have you forgotten the world ended?!"

Kon-Mai approached the table, and the shadow she cast over it made the two women stop and look up at her.

"Guys!" Malinalli called. "Meet Kon-Mai!"

"Oh!" The British woman, a girl in her youth with short purple hair, perked up. "Oh yes! We've been absolutely dying to meet you!" She jumped up, and Kon-Mai noticed that clasped in her hair was a little tiara. "Lady Demetria Min of the British Isles!"

"Don't believe anything she says." The other woman piped up. "You're not an actual Lady, Princess."

"Shut up." Princess snapped.

The other woman looked significantly older, with wrinkles and scars carved in her dark ebony skin, but the bright red hair she sported gave her a youthful demeanor.

"Kon-Mai, this is Zuri Temitope." Malinalli gestured to the woman.

"I prefer Tisiphone." The woman smiled, looking the Chosen up and down. "I don't know what I was expecting, but you…certainly live up to the hype."

Kon-Mai nodded in thanks, but remained silent.

Tisiphone turned to Malinalli. "Quiet. I like her already."

Princess pouted. "Well, come on! Sit with us, don't just stand there!" Kon-Mai yelped as Princess pulled her into the seat beside her.

"Maybe she can finish this debate for us." Tisiphone said as she sat back down. "So. I say that the Lost should just be called 'zombies'."

"And I say that it's rude to call them the zed word, and 'The Lost' is more politically correct!" Princess countered, her tone rising.

"I'm not fucking worried about hurting the zombies feelings, Princess."

"It's not about feelings, it's about what's right!"

"What do you mean what's right? Our job is to mow them down like grass!" Tisiphone turned to Kon-Mai. "But what do you think? Your perspective is probably a lot different."

"Yes. Tell her I'm right."

"Shut your goddamn mouth, Princess."

Kon-Mai blinked as the two women finally fell silent, staring at her expectantly.

"I believe it was one of your kind that said, 'a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.'" Kon-Mai said slowly. "What you call them does not matter, or change what they are. As long as you can do what must be done and eliminate them."

"Oh fuck off." Tisiphone said. "That's a non-answer. You gotta pick a side."

"Guys, come on, she said her piece." Malinalli cut in. "Don't badger her."

"Why do you object to their current title?" Kon-Mai asked Tisiphone.

"It sounds like some sci-fi fantasy bullshit. Zombies have been part of human mythologies for centuries and everyone knows the term. Calling them 'The Lost' is just needlessly complicated."

"Of course it is!" Princess cut in. "Everything is complicated right now, Tisiphone! But we have it so much easier compared to them, the way they're suffering. Even if I gotta put them down, I don't wanna forget that they are human, just like us."

There was a brief silence, in which Kon-Mai's eyes drifted to the hallway and she, unfortunately, locked eyes with a familiar Skirmisher woman.

"Betos." She hissed, and hid her face with her hand, but it was too late. The conversation died at the sound of combat boots clomping their way towards the group.

"The Commander instructed me to fetch you." Betos' gravelly voice sounded too close for her comfort.

Kon-Mai looked up briefly, again catching Betos' narrowed, yellow eyes.

"I did not expect to see you here." she said as she stood, Princess helping her to her feet.

"My soldiers are here, and thus so am I." Betos turned to Malinalli. "You are dismissed."

Malinalli stammered. "I need to return the patient to-"

"When the Commander is done, she will page you." Betos said firmly. "You are dismissed. Go back to your post."

Malinalli looked warily to Kon-Mai, who gave her a nod.

"…Understood." Malinalli mumbled as she left.

"It was nice meeting you!" Princess called after Kon-Mai. "Come back sometime, alright?!"

Kon-Mai did not answer her.

.

.

Betos' pace was much faster than her human nurse's, and despite her best efforts, Kon-Mai found herself falling behind. She dared not call out, but she saw Betos getting farther and farther away and knew if she didn't, she'd get left behind on this damned ship.

Luckily for her, Betos stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face her, her yellow eyes glowing in the low light.

Kon-Mai bared her teeth. "This was your plan, then? Lead me away, so I would be helpless, and then strike me down?" She nodded. "A devious trick, but it has worked. If you wish to kill me, now is your time."

"I wish I could, for all the pain and grief you have caused my people." Betos spat. "I wish I could skin you and gut you like a fish, and that I could make you feel every ounce of pain my family has felt because of your blade." But she shook her head. "But no. No, that's not enough. Killing you, it wouldn't be enough."

Kon-Mai's goading smile fell, and she felt a chill run up her spine. "What?"

"If you died, that would be it. You might feel a moment of pain and in the end, you might even beg for repentance. But…" She smiled. "No, I want you to look at everything you've ever believed in and swallow it like fowl medicine. I want you to renounce your precious Elders and become exactly what you swore to destroy, to live like us, to truly feel what we feel for once in your pathetic life. And then I want to look you dead in your ghastly purple eyes and tell you 'I told you so.'"

Kon-Mai blinked in surprise, unsure of how to respond. "…You sound so sure that will happen."

"We'll see." Betos turned her back to her. "It's why the Commander wants to meet with you." She continued her pace, and Kon-Mai limped along, trying to catch up.

Thankfully, it was only a few more feet down the hallway that they stopped at a single metal door, upon which Betos knocked. "Commander, I have her."

The door opened, and Kon-Mai froze.

The woman stood up, her long white hair flowing like it had its own wind current around it. She walked slowly around to the front of her desk and locked eyes with the Assassin, those green eyes glowing with warmth and light and calm. She radiated with ethereal beauty.

"Welcome, Kon-Mai Mordenna." The woman said. "I am Commander Senuna of XCOM. I've been so looking forward to our meeting."

* * *

(God I've been looking forward to this. I've decided I'm going to post a new chapter once a week on Saturdays, but I already have five or so written so waiting to post this has been torture.

Now that it's out, I hope you all enjoy!

Also extra credit to the people who catch the "Shawn of the Dead" reference.)


	3. A Deal Too Good to Refuse

The silence in the Chamber was broken by an explosion and a waterfall of blinding light. Gur-Rai Madron got to his feet just as his brother appeared in a similar spectacular array before him. He waited a moment for his sister to follow.

She never did.

Gur-Rai, his hood covering his glowing eyes, scanned the room cautiously, half expecting her to appear behind him with her knife to his face. But Kon-Mai was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?" His brother's booming voice echoed through the empty room, and Gur-Rai shrugged.

"Maybe she's hiding from you." He chuckled.

"Then she is a coward." His brother's hands lit up with psionic energy, just as the image of the Elders appeared before them. Quickly, the Warlock and the Hunter moved to their places, bowing respectfully to their masters. The Assassin's spot stood empty.

**"Our children."** Their "mother's" voice dominated, as always, but today it seemed heavy. **"We come to you this day with news of great woe. Kon-Mai Mordenna, your sister, the Assassin, is no longer of this world."**

Gur-Rai blinked in surprise, the shock settling on him slowly. His brother seemed just as taken aback as he was.

**"Even now we feel her absence, her voice silenced forever."** The Elders spoke softly.

"She's…not…really." Gur-Rai shook his head. "She can't be."

"Brother, silence yourself." the Warlock growled.

**"She was taken from us a fortnight and 10 days ago, by the Commander Senuna and her XCOM rebels."** The Elders continued. "It falls to you to ensure they face justice."

"She's the Assassin." Gur-Rai smiled as though he had figured out the joke. He pointed to his brother; "Dhar-Mon, would YOU expect her to go down so easily? To be laid low by a tribe of squabbling humans? No, because she's our-"

The feeling of his skin being pulled from his body shut him up, as the Elders' light descended from the heavens and slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. Gur-Rai pushed himself up against the weight, just trying to keep his face from being smashed in, but the crushing blow had disoriented him.

**"YOU DOUBT US?!"** He heard his "fathers" voices now as well, meaning he'd angered the whole crew. **"YOU DOUBT OUR SIGHT, OUR KNOWLEDGE, THAT ONE OF OUR CHILDREN IS DEAD."**

The light abated, and so did the weight, but Hunter was still breathless from the pain.

**"We mourn the loss of our daughter."** His "mother" said. **"As should you. Use this as a lesson. Do not fail us, for there will be no return."**

The Chamber went dark, and Gur-Rai heard Dhar-Mon approach him.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Gur-Rai mumbled.

"You should know better." His brother growled. "You provoked them on purpose."

"Oh did I?" Gur-Rai finally got to his feet, staggering. His skin still felt hot. "Tell me, brother, do you have so little faith in our sister?"

Dhar-Mon bared his teeth at his little brother. "If the Elders say she is dead, then…" He seemed to swallow, hesitating. "It is so."

"Is it? She was one of the best, quite literally. A human taking her down?" Gur-Rai shook his head. "No, something else happened here."

"You let grief cloud your judgement, Gur-Rai." Dhar-Mon said.

"Grief? An adorable concept."

"You two may have been close-"

"She tried to kill me more than once. And I, her."

Dhar-Mon glared at him. "Nevertheless. You were close in age. You saw her as an equal. You merely mourn the passing of someone you saw a friend."

Gur-Rai shook his head. "If that's what you want to believe." He turned away from his brother and the Elders they worshiped. "But I don't. Not for a second."

.

.

Kon-Mai crossed her legs, getting as comfortable as she could. To the right of the Commander stood a young, strong-looking woman with a face like stone: Jane Kelly. To her left, a grizzled middle-aged man was staring at her with crossed arms and sympathetic eyes: John Bradford.

She knew these two well. She'd read their profiles. And now she could put faces to names.

"How are you?" The Commander spoke up. She was seated behind her mahogany desk, her white hair draped over her shoulder like a cape. Her green (blue?) eyes were bright enough to pierce Kon-Mai's soul.

"…What?"

"How are you?" Senuna repeated. "How do you feel? Are you enjoying it here on the Avenger?"

Kon-Mai snarled. "You act as though I am not a prisoner on this ship. As though I am not at your mercy."

Senuna's cheerful smile fell. "…I'm sorry." She stood. "I didn't want to give off that impression."

"You brought me here against my will." Kon-Mai snapped. "And for what?"

"You were dying." Senuna shrugged. "I gave the order to save you."

"Why?!" Kon-Mai cried. "You spent years hunting me. You had exactly what you wanted: I was no more. Dead. I would have been out of the way and you, Commander, would be prime to take over this world once again. Why is this known universe would you _save my life_?"

Senuna noticeably frowned, and Kon-Mai faltered noticeably. The coldness in the Commander's eyes was literally chilling.

"I gave the order" she repeated, "and my soldiers do not question my orders. I saved you for my own reasons, Kon-Mai." She took a deep breath, letting her body relax. "You are a weapon. A weapon we could use."

Kon-Mai sat back and pressed a finger to her temple. "You wish to _use_ me?"

"Yes."

"Against the Elders?"

"Yes."

"No." Kon-Mai went to stand up, but a sharp pain in her wound site caused her to gasp and sit back down.

Senuna looked her over. "You're still having pain?"

"I am…perfectly well."

The Commander stood and walked around to where Kon-Mai sat, and the Assassin found herself leaning away in fear as Senuna reached out for her.

"Let me." Senuna placed one hand softly over the scar on Kon-Mai's belly. The sharpness of the pain began to dull, then fade, then ebb away completely. Kon-Mai let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"It's not healed." Senuna said as she pulled away. "But it won't hurt as much, at least not for a while."

Kon-Mai looked up at her, blinking. "…What ARE you?"

Senuna smiled. "Psionic. Kind of." She giggled. "Though, I let the Templars handle that on the battlefield. I just call the shots, and sign the checks~"

Kon-Mai watched in reverence as the Commander sat down again, leaning forward on the desk.

"Miss Mordenna." Bradford began. "Or…what should we call you? Assassin? Just Mordenna?"

Kon-Mai pursed her lips. "…Any title you prefer."

"Okay Assassin." Bradford uncrossed his arms. "We want you to join XCOM."

"Why?"

"You're strong, coordinated, you have some pretty impressive abilities, and I won't lie, a lot of our soldiers admire your skill with a blade." He smirked. "Now that your…uh…contract with the Elders has technically expired, we'd like to hire your services."

"You assume much," the Assassin crossed her arms "to think that my pact with my masters can be broken so easily."

There was a collective silence. Senuna seemed to bite her lip. Kon-Mai's resolve began to falter once again, and Jane walked around the desk and handed her a PDA.

"According to ADVENT's records, you're already considered dead." Jane said.

Kon-Mai looked down at the PDA. This was ADVENT's internal affairs website. And that was her profile, almost fully blacked out except for one word: DECEASED.

In the back of her mind, she knew this would happen. That pessimistic side of her figured that as soon as her chip was disconnected, so would their link. But she had hoped, hoped beyond hope, that it wasn't true. That after all this, she could return to her Elders and resume her normal.

"…How?" Her voice sounded as small as she felt. "They should be able to feel me…"

"We think taking out your chip had something to do with it." Bradford said.

Kon-Mai growled at him. "Then this is your doing."

"We had to." He stood his ground against her. "Your chip was creating a feedback signal right to your brain. Muscle spasms, seizures, if we didn't remove it, you'd ACTUALLY be dead."

Kon-Mai sat back, staring down at her file in complete silence. It all made sense: the way she'd reacted, the pain she'd felt as she fought against her injury and…whatever her chip had been doing to her. It was a failsafe. Meant as a last resort…

"We want you here." Senuna said.

"…I will go back." Kon-Mai said quietly, and realized she didn't sound convincing at all.

"You could." Senuna nodded. "But we both know they wouldn't take you."

"They will. I'm their Chosen."

"And you failed." Jane hissed. "The Elders will look at you as another experiment gone bad. You go crawling back to them, and they'll light you up like a dumpster fire and jettison your corpse into space."

"Jeez, Jane, could you be a little more blunt?" Bradford sighed. "She's right though. You're literally dead to them. They might take you back, but more likely…they'll just kill you."

Senuna reached forward. "But you're not dead. We saw to that for a reason."

"You said you hoped we would reclaim this world." Jane said. "Help us do that. Put your money where your mouth is."

The Assassin weighed her options, like she weighed the PDA in her hand. In one, was her life with the Elders, who had lost.

No, she'd lost. They had not…

They had lost. She was an extension of them. She was the best they had to offer. Her brothers were talented but she was made to excel. And the humans had brought her, quite literally, to her knees.

She looked up at Senuna. The woman was terrifying, with eyes like lasers and a smile that could melt steel beams. Kon-Mai could feel the power the Commander held in her hands. The Elders didn't stand a chance.

She tossed the PDA back onto the desk and sighed. "Clearly, you are the superior warriors. It appears I have no other choice."

"Well, you could just leave." Bradford shrugged. "We won't force you to stay."

"And go where?"

"Exactly."

Kon-Mai bit her lip. "…I accept your offer, XCOM, for the honor and the fight." She held up a hand as it looked like Senuna was about to let up a cheer. "But I do have one condition."

The three exchanged glances. "Yes?"

"My brothers." She growled. "You'll bring them in alive."

Senuna raised a brow. "Oh? I thought you hated them."

Kon-Mai shook her head. "They are stubborn, arrogant lummoxes who have no business being employed as troopers, much less Chosen. But they are my kin, and I…care for them. Both of them." She hesitated. "There is an unspoken rule between us. _No matter how we disagree, how our anger swells, we shall do each other no harm_. They may vex me greatly, but I don't want to see them die."

"That wasn't in the plan." Jane said.

"But theoretically, it's doable…" Bradford scratched his chin. "That's all you want?"

"Yes." Kon-Mai nodded.

"Then that's good enough for me!" Senuna chirped and stood up. She pressed a button on her walkie-talkie. "Molly, your patient is all done if you want to come get her~"

"I'll draw up a contract for you later this evening." Bradford said, holding out his hand to help her to her feet.

Kon-Mai definitely stood without his help. "That will not be necessary."

"I wish that were true, but the Council wants it for their records." Bradford said. "We're just happy to have you on the team."

"Jane, get together a squadron of Reapers and set a course for South America." Senuna winked. "We have a Chosen to pick up."

The door opened and Malinalli rushed in, looking around and smiling when she saw Kon-Mai. "So?"

"So…?" Kon-Mai raised a brow.

"She said yes!" Senuna beamed.

"Oh, awesome!" Malinalli shared Senuna's look of joy. "So you'll stay then?"

"You knew about this?"

"Uh…" Malinalli looked around at Bradford and Jane. "…Technically no."

Bradford chuckled. "Yes kiddo, she accepted the contract."

"IF you retrieve my brothers."

"Right." Bradford shrugged.

Malinalli looked to the Commander. "Is there anything else you want from me, Madam?"

"No sweetheart, that's all." Senuna beamed at her. "Take it easy down there, okay?"

"I wish I could." Malinalli gestured to Kon-Mai to follow her. "Betos told me to move your bed out of the infirmary and into a separate room. It's a bit far…"

"I will be fine." Kon-Mai assured her. "The pain has…subsided."

"Oh, that's good!" Malinalli kept talking as they began to walk, but Kon-Mai was distracted by Betos, standing on the other side of the hallway, back against the wall.

The two passed each other, and as they did, Kon-Mai saw Betos mouth the words _"I told you so."_

* * *

(Posting this one a bit early because I have a dentist appointment tomorrow, so I'll be out of commission all day.

I dunno what else to say except the Assassin has finally joined the Good People team! Next chapters will probably be more Hunter focused and I'm sure the community will love that.)


	4. Operation: To Catch a Predator

The sun was sinking into the lake of rock that extended out as far as the eye could see. Red desert surrounded them.

The ADVENT guards stood at attention. Waiting.

A purple flash of light, and footsteps. That voice like silk floated out around them in a chuckle.

_"Staying up to wait for me? You really shouldn't have."_

The guard on the right of the great stone arch jumped, as their colleague fell to the ground beside them. A gunshot went off, and then they were down.

_"Get outta here."_ The Hunter said. _"I can walk my damn self."_

As the guard turned and walked briskly out of sight, Gur-Rai slid down the nearby cliff face and dragged to a stop in front of the archway. A few soldiers were patrolling on the levels above, but the Priests were nowhere to be found.

He strolled inside, the open hallways twisting like a maze toward two huge, old stone doors, carved with ancient symbols and reinforced with Cydonium Alloy. With barely a nudge, it opened for him, and he slipped through the antechamber and into the tunnels that led upward to his personal apartment.

The tunnels were dark, growing darker as he moved away from the light and into the darkness. For a moment it was stifling until he reached out, putting his hand on the stone slab before him, and pushed.

There was a scraping noise as the stone swung open with great difficulty, pushing aside the shit he forgot he'd left in front of it. Gur-Rai squeezed inside, closing the door behind him, and dropped his gear on the floor, letting out a loud groan.

"What a day." He sighed, plopping down in his chair. The multitude of screens around the room lit it up with an ethereal blue light, washing out almost all color.

Gur-Rai glanced at his nails, then behind him at the small cot of skin and fur he called a bed. As tired as he was, sleep wasn't on his mind. At the moment, he was bored.

He blew a raspberry, spinning in circles in his chair and looking around at all the half-finished projects around him. There was a partially disassembled GREMLIN unit a few feet away from him, and some Archon parts next to that...

He reached behind him, feeling around on his desk, and grabbed a screwdriver.

.

.

"You're sure you want us both down there, Commander?" Elena asked.

"I'm sure." Senuna giggled. "You and Mox make a great team. And I assume you'll work together just as well outside the bedroom."

Elena grimaced and Mox muttered "A bit inappropriate, Commander…"

"Sorry, I can't help it." She stood from her desk. "The Hunter is no pushover, as much as we may think he is. I need my best out there today."

"But to clarify, we're not to kill him." Elena said.

"Right." Senuna clapped. "As per The Assassin's request, he will be brought in alive if possible. If something goes horribly wrong…" She shrugged. "Just do your best."

"Understood." Both husband and wife saluted their Commander and retreated from her office, leaving the other three soldiers standing in front of her.

"Tiss." Senuna approached Tisiphone, where she seemed to avoid eye contact. "I was wondering if you could use-"

"No." Tisiphone snapped.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Sorry Commander. I don't…" She put her hands on her hips. "I'd prefer to use my guns."

Senuna looked angry for just a moment, but her expression softened before anyone could tell. "That's fine, Tiss." She moved on to the young man standing to Tisiphone's left.

"Anything for me, Cap?" He asked. Despite the stubble and scar, the shaggy blonde hair hanging in his face made him look as youthful as a boy.

"No, Tiwaz." She shook her head. "You know what to do."

"Grenades?"

"And…"

He sent a sideways glance to Tisiphone. "I'll make sure she stays out of trouble."

"Boy, you ARE trouble." Tisiphone stuck out her tongue.

Senuna smiled at the two and moved onto the last one, a dark-skinned, dark-haired boy who stood silently at attention.

"Mithridates."

"Commander."

"What is your role?"

"Hack."

"What else?"

"Nothing else."

"Good. The others have fire power. Keep yourself safe and try to turn his own defenses against him."

"Understood, Commander."

"Wonderful." Senuna stepped back to look at the three. "We're on route to San Pedro, Chile. Your target is the ruin of Pukará de Quitor. The Hunter has turned the site into his stronghold. Try not to break it if you can. Or him."

"Understood." The three saluted her, and she returned the favor.

"Now begins Operation: To Catch A Predator~"

The soldiers collectively sighed.

.

.

Night fell, but the Hunter was oblivious to it, lost in his work. The soldiers outside were doing their rounds and a few times he heard them get a bit too close, but no one dared knock on his door. The last person who did that paid dearly.

Gur-Rai bit the inside of his cheek, focused intently on trying to get this one piece of Archon armor to connect around the outside of the GREMLIN camera, that he barely noticed the bit of movement in his security monitors.

As he looked up, there was a loud and sudden "BANG."

Gur-Rai damn near jumped out of his skin, dropping his screwdriver on the floor with a clack, as the perimeter alarm blared around him. He sighed and reached over his keyboard, pressing a few buttons and clicking on his security system. The camera feed switched instantly to the front archway, showing five or so XCOM soldiers standing right outside his door.

"Oh?" His brows shot up. "Well that's interesting."

.

.

Pukará de Quitor. An ancient monument built by a long dead civilization, one of the greatest in human history, was now swarming with alien troopers and reinforced with space-age metal under the millennium-old rocks. If the Hunter had wanted to offend humanity in the deepest way possible, this was a good start.

They wasted no time. Outrider capped off a nearby grunt with barely a flinch, and three others went down by Tisiphone and Tiwaz before the alarm was even triggered. Mox grappled a nearby goon and tossed him over his head, where he landed in the desert sand with a dull thud.

The group pushed through the wall of incoming shock troopers with only a few near misses, finally coming to a stop by the ancient stone archway, and waited for a moment. The alarm was blaring, but no other reinforcements seemed to be joining them…

Elena suddenly gasped and grabbed at her ear. Mox rushed for his wife before he heard it too, in his comm unit.

_"So, what's the plan for today? Storm the fortress, face the godlike immortal on his turf, break for lunch! Sounds like fun~"_

Elena was starting to shake, and Mox grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close. "It is not him."

"I know."

"I am right here."

"I know." She pressed her forehead to his, and cocked her gun. "I won't hesitate."

Mox smiled. "You are my wife."

Elena chuckled, but her smile dropped as she looked over Mox's shoulder. "Honey, we have company."

Mox turned, and Tisiphone and Tiwaz closed the distance between them and the ADVENT priests that were approaching. Tisiphone hit the closest one with a shotgun blast that blew his helmet (and face) wide open. The other soldiers didn't falter, but Tiwaz popped a nugget in his grenade launcher and with a boom, that was the end of that.

"Fucking Christ." Tisiphone spat. "Priests. We should have brought a Templar on this mission."

"We can manage." Tiwaz assured her.

"Cover me." Mithridates pushed forward. "I'm going to get the next door open. And let me know if there are any mechs."

"Roger roger~" Tiwaz winked at the boy, who seemed to blush.

_"I LOVE to see soldiers getting along."_ The Hunter sneered through the comm. _"It's makes it more interesting when one dies~"_

.

.

They sprinted through the winding stone hallways, the fortress of stone melding with the cliffs itself. Elena could feel the spirits of the long dead Inca warriors in this place, and it almost calmed her.

_"I chose this place because of the view."_ The Hunter said over the comm. _"I actually had no idea it used to be a stronghold for the old world. I suppose I'm returning it to its roots."_

Elena took a deep breath and mentally counted to ten. If the Commander wasn't so likely to flay her for doing so, she'd love nothing more than to put a bullet between that fucker's eyes.

They soon came to an obvious metal door in the stone, and Mithridates sat down with his little laptop, plugged in, and got to work. His typing was slow, but when he opened the Command Prompt and began working, his code was like poetry. Elena began to relax.

_"So what are your names?"_ The Hunter asked. _"I'd love to know what to tell the tabloids when they ask me about this."_

"Fuck you." Elena spat.

_"That's your name? Your parents must have hated you."_

Mox pried Elena's fingers open and squeezed her hand, but Elena was seething.

"Listen here, you goblin." Elena hissed into her comm. "Your end will come from the gun of Elena Dragunova."

There was a brief silence. Then…

_"Oh, it's_ you_."_ He chuckled. Elena felt her heart jump into her throat.

"Tiwaz, do you have your pocket knife?" Mithridates asked.

"I ALWAYS have my pocket knife." Tiwaz flicked it open and tossed it to the young man, who popped open his disk drive and began messing with some of the wires inside.

_"It's been a long time."_ The Hunter continued his taunts. _"We just have to stop meeting like this."_

"If we should ever meet again after this, you will be dead, and I will be cooking your corpse."

_"Well, you're feisty. Smile, sweetheart, the boys don't like a resting bitch face."_

"Maruf, open this damn door." Elena hissed.

"Oh that's a good idea, Outrider, I should do that." Mithridates closed the disk drive, and the computer shorted out as the doors swung open.

The five readied their weapons, exchanging glances. Mox kissed Elena on the cheek, and Tiwaz grabbed Tisiphone's shoulder and gave it a hearty shake.

"Remember: It is Wednesday, my dudes." He grabbed his grenade launcher, and sprinted inside. "eeeeeeeeeeeAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"I hate it when he does that." Tisiphone sighed as they followed him in.

.

.

Gur-Rai crossed his arms and bit his lip. This wasn't supposed to happen, at least he was pretty sure it wasn't. They should have been stopped by security and patted down harder than the TSA. His troops were clearly failing.

"I am a child of the gods." He muttered. "Their servants should never leave me unattended." He picked up his rifle and…

There was a clatter. He'd knocked an old machete of his off the table. The blade was slightly dull, he'd never actually used the damn thing, but…

Why had he kept it all these years? Because it was a gift.

He reached down and picked it up slowly, feeling the grip in his palm. It fit his small hands perfectly, though they'd been modeled after someone else's. She had done her best to make it work in tandem with him and he felt...a bit bad. Kon-Mai had never even seen him use it.

"Oh, Sister." He muttered. "What dirty trick did they pull on you?"

.

.

Mithridates held up his hand. "This place smells like static."

"It's brimming with psionic energy." Tisiphine muttered, seeming to bristle. "Let's hope this bastard surrenders quickly."

"Let's hope not." Elena cocked her gun. "He owes me a fight if nothing else."

"Lenka…" Mox whispered worriedly, but she seemed to ignore him.

As they walked through the antechamber into the main area, the light of the moon shone down through the open ceiling. At the end of the room and at the top of a few stairs stood a large stone altar, decorated with Mesoamerican carvings, behind which stood the Chosen's metal sarcophagus. Stone columns seemed to hold it in place, rising up to the top of the chamber. The circular walls around them made the soldiers feel like they were at the bottom of a barrel.

"Hope we aren't the fish." Tiwaz muttered.

"Where the hell is he?" Elena growled.

There was a flash of purple light, and on the other side of the room, on the ancient stone altar, the Hunter appeared in a crouch.

"You're not supposed to be here. You were never meant to figure out our little...trick." Gur-Rai stood, gesturing to his sarcophagus behind him. "Full of surprises, aren't you?" He pulled his gun off his back. "Soon to be full of holes."

"SCATTER!" Tisiphone pushed Tiwaz to the side, and the others all ran in different directions. Gur-Rai's eyes darted between all of them, finally settling on targeting the youngling, who was trying to lug his burnt computer with him.

He pointed and aimed his gun, but just as he pulled the trigger, a bullet whizzed past his arm and threw off his aim. His own bullet went careening into the wall, and he whirled around.

There Elena Dragunova stood, practically frothing at the mouth as she stared him down.

Gur-Rai smiled. "Nice shot. I'd suggest hitting me next time."

Elena raised her gun again, and Gur-Rai vaulted over the altar and crawled behind cover. The back of his mind told him pissing her off had probably been a bad idea, but he was on a roll and didn't particularly care.

Elena ducked down into the shadows, disappearing in a way not unlike Kon-Mai used to. Hunter felt himself hesitate just for a moment, but quickly he shook off the feeling. He dashed across the room, quickly honing in on his target again.

Mithridates clumsily jumped over one of the old stone benches and felt along the metal paneling, looking for an outlet of some kind he could plug into. If he could, that sarcophagus would quickly be toast. His fingers finally brushed a loose panel, and he slid it aside and jammed the USB into the outlet.

This was one of the many times Mithridates wished he'd learned to type with more than just two fingers. He prattled away slowly, carefully reading every line of code once, twice, three times. His Commander had faith in him, and he took a deep breath and typed in the login code.

Access granted. Just as he hit the CTRL key, he heard the click of a gun being primed and looked up to see The Hunter staring down at him, through the ironsights of his giant gun.

Gur-Rai smiled. "How old are you, kid? You shouldn't be out here."

"Tiwaz!" Mithridates screamed out for help, crawling backwards.

Gur-Rai laughed. "Calling for daddy? The Commander should know better than to send children into battle. But I guess she'll have to learn the hard wa-"

He was cut off as Pratal Mox swooped in on his grapple and hit the Hunter with a hard punch to the face. Gur-Rai staggered back, blood dripping from his lip where he had accidentally bit himself. His gun had slid across the room, out of his reach.

"Leave the boy." Mox declared. "By order of Commander Senuna of XCOM, you are under arrest!"

"Tell it to the judge!" There was a glint of steel, and from his belt, Gur-Rai pulled the machete and swiped at Mox, catching him off guard. The blade cut through his padded armor and sliced a long gash into his arm, sending him reeling in shock. He managed to dodge the Hunter's second attack, but it barely grazed his cheek, still drawing blood.

"NO!" Gur-Rai heard Elena shout, and he smiled.

That smile soon dropped as he heard the sound of an explosion, and his sarcophagus shattering. He looked at it, the cracks beginning to spread in the once smooth metal.

"That...that's not...that shouldn't be possible…" He looked to Mithridates, who was clutching his laptop and repeatedly pressing the CTRL key, then to Tiwaz and his stupid fucking grenade launcher.

"You should have shot the laptop instead!" Mithridates shouted as he stood, backing away. "Thank you Mox, for allowing me to disable the shields."

This was bad. Gur-Rai made a dash back for the altar, only to trip as a bullet whizzed just over his head. Elena Dragunova was on top of him and, oh boy, she was pissed. He tried to reach for his gun but it had scuttled off into gods knew where. He grabbed the machete again and swung, just as Elena cocked her gun and shot.

Gur-Rai felt a searing, stabbing pain in his left hip, right above his leg. If he hadn't seen it still attached as he fell to the ground, he would have sworn the limb had just exploded. With the last of his strength he teleported behind the altar and crawled to a sitting position, leaning against it.

He'd managed to leave a trail even when he'd teleported: blood was gushing from his wound like a red water fountain, and it was beginning to run down the stairs and pool on the floor. His heart was beating faster than he had ever felt it, and no matter how he tried to slow his breathing, it wouldn't stop.

The other soldiers were starting to come out from behind their cover, and Hunter wondered why they were hesitating. He looked around and grunted "Well, what are you waiting for? Finish the job."

Then he heard a voice.

_"Gur-Rai Madron, this is John Bradford of XCOM Central. Surrender immediately and no further harm will come to you."_

Gur-Rai laughed, but his voice was shaking. "That's funny...that's really funny." He was starting to feel light headed, and slapped himself to keep his eyes open. "You just want me out in the open. Easy target."

_"I can assure you, that's not it."_ Bradford said. _"Our orders are to bring you in alive if at all possible. Someone very special wants you back safe."_

"Oh…" He chuckled, his hands beginning to shake. He could barely move his fingers. "Does the Commander have a crush on me?"

_"It's your sister."_

Gur-Rai froze, his heart racing.

_"She's alive. She's on the Avenger. And she wants you brought back safe and sound."_ Bradford insisted.

Gur-Rai felt sick to his stomach. It was nearly impossible to breathe, and stars were beginning to swim in front of his vision. "...You're lying…"

_"I think you know I'm not."_ Bradford sounded insistent. _"And even if I am, can you really afford to refuse help?"_

"I'll...be just fine." Gur-Rai tried to stand, but the second his left leg made contact with the ground, he cried out and collapsed again, wheezing. He couldn't even manage a witty retort as Bradford spoke again.

_"Look, by the amount of blood I see down there, Outrider probably severed an artery. You have about 7 minutes before your organs start shutting down from blood loss, and about 10 before you kick the bucket entirely. I don't know much about you Chosen but if you're anything like us, you don't want to die. So get off your butt and surrender, and we will save you."_

Gur-Rai was silent, mostly because he had no strength to speak. But he did have the strength to understand that this was probably his last shot.

He wasn't like his siblings who had been willing to die for the Elders. He was mortal, just like the rest of them.

Gur-Rai used his right leg to push himself into a kneeling position, and slowly crawled out from behind the altar. Using it as leverage, the carvings of human sacrifice seemingly mocking him, he pulled himself to his feet and looked around at the soldiers who were waiting for him to speak.

"I don't want to die." Was all he could whimper. Then he lost all feeling in his legs and tumbled down the stairs, rolling to a stop on the hard stone floor. Blackness crept in at the edges of his vision as he saw Tisiphone and Tiwaz standing over him, pulling out makeshift medkits and ripping their uniforms to make bandages. Tisiphone grabbed him by the shoulder and hauled him up, reaching around behind his head. He felt a tug, heard a pop…

Then the world went black.

* * *

(The Husband-I mean the Hunter makes his grande debut. The Hunter is always a joy to write even if the Assassin is my favorite (by a slight margin).

Please do let me know what you guys think! If you like it, what your favorite part was, if you want me to quit writing and get a real job, I appreciate all feedback!)


	5. Two Stones, One Bird

Kon-Mai opened one eye at the distant sound on a returning chopper. She stood slowly, still barefoot, and made her way to the large window that stood in the corner of her room, overlooking an orange sky and fluffy clouds.

Her heart was racing. She had not seen her brother in a long time. The two had never been exactly close, but Kon-Mai had always liked his nonchalant attitude. It was a refreshing contrast to their eldest brother. And they worked well together, when they DID work together.

A feeling of anxiety settled in her stomach. Not just nervousness, no, she felt like something was terribly wrong.

As she opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway, this was confirmed. Three of the five soldiers assigned to this mission, along with two of the Avenger's medics, were sprinting up the hall towards her. As she stepped back in surprise, she got a good look at the gurney they were wheeling, and the person lying on it.

"Gur-Rai?" She gasped.

She only saw her brother for a second. His blue skin was pale, nearly white. His hood was stripped off to make room for an oxygen mask they'd plastered to his face. His eyes were closed.

Kon-Mai stared after them for a moment. Then she sprinted down the hall.

She nearly crashed into Malinalli, who was running from the opposite direction with two other medics hot on her heels. She barely had time to acknowledge Kon-Mai before the nurse threw open the door (leaving it wide open) and darted into the room. Kon-Mai stood in the doorway, watching the commotion.

Tygan was there, scrubbing up and putting on his gloves. The other medics were suited up, and the soldiers who had wheeled her brother there pushed past her, leaving the room to make space for the doctors. As they moved, she caught another glimpse of her brother. They were stripping his armor off now, leaving him completely naked. He was as pale as the bedding and completely limp, not responding at all to the surgeons' touches.

"Torn External Iliac, left side." One of the medics said.

"Start a fluid drip." Tygan said. "Administer 0.2 mg of Midazolam, please."

"That's a little light, doc." Malinalli said as she reached for an IV bag.

"I'd rather him wake up during surgery than overdose and die." Tygan grabbed a scalpel. "I'm making the first incision. Lothar, be ready with the clamp."

"Ready, doc."

"Someone get started on the chip."

"It's gone doc, Tisiphone cut it loose on the ride over."

"While I applaud her quick thinking, I'd have preferred she waited for us to perform that. But it is one less thing to worry about."

Kon-Mai couldn't see Tygan cutting into her brother, but she could hear him softly curse. "The wound is uneven. We will need a graft."

"I'll need to get one from the supply cabinet." One of the medics pushed past Kon-Mai and ran out the door.

"I can't clamp it, doc, it's too big a hole."

"Clamp the ends." Tygan sounded stressed. "I'd rather not resort to blocking blood flow, but it's all we can do."

"Blood pressure is dropping really fast!" Someone called.

"Shit." Tygna took a breath. "Someone go get one of the Skirmishers, if we can synthesize some of their blood we might just be able to-"

"If it is blood you need," Kon-Mai burst into the room, finally breaking her silence "then let me be of service."

The medical team looked at her in silence for a moment.

"He and I share the same blood." She said, "Let me give him some of mine. I have it to spare."

"Normally I'd say not while you're still recovering." Tygan said. "But we don't have much other choice. Molly?"

"On it." Malinalli grabbed an IV bag and needle and sat Kon-Mai in a nearby chair. She held out her arm, and her nurse wrapped it in a tourniquet and wiped down her inner elbow with an alcohol cloth.

"Thank you." Malinalli whispered.

"He is my brother." Kon-Mai held her breath, wincing as the needle pierced the skin of her arm.

"I'm so sorry it's come to this, I know this probably wasn't the reunion you were hoping for…"

"Gur-Rai has...a thick skull, as you say." Kon-Mai chuckled. "If anyone was to get themselves into this situation, it would be him."

"We'll still save him." Malinalli gently shook the bag as it began to fill with red.

"I would expect nothing less of XCOM." Kon-Mai smiled.

.

.

The surgery lasted much longer than was probably healthy, but the blood Kon-Mai provided kept her brother from slipping into the world beyond. They had managed to make an artificial graft to close the damaged vein, although they had had to cut out some of the tissue around it, and part of the bone had been shattered beyond repair. But at the end, when they sewed him up, Gur-Rai was still breathing.

Now Kon-Mai sat in a chair at his bedside, watching her brother drool in his sleep. She pulled her legs up and crossed them, leaning on one of the armrests as Tygan came back in.

"I see he's not awoken?"

She shook her head. "Alas, he remains unconscious."

"I'm sorry this happened."

"He is alive." She smiled. "That is all I asked of XCOM, and you delivered on that promise."

"Your blood is what saved him." Tygan began marking something on the IV bag. "Hm. What antibiotics were you on, do you remember?"

"It began with an A, I believe."

"Amikacin?"

"That name sounds familiar."

"I figured. It is used mostly on children." He went to the nearby cabinet and pulled a vial from it, unwrapping a clean syringe.

"Do you forget our strength, Doctor? We may be young, but we are no mere children." Kon-Mai said with a smile.

"I hardly doubt that. But I also don't know what the more potent antibiotics will do to you." He pulled a few milliliters from the tube into the syringe. "Besides, this is most commonly used to treat intra-abdominal infections, which your brother is at risk for."

Tygan took Gur-Rai's arm and pressed the needle into his vein.

"Ow." The unconscious Chosen groggily mumbled.

Kon-Mai gasped and Tygan looked up in surprise. "You're awake."

"Yeh…" Gur-Rai tried to pull his arm back, but his strength was gone and Tygan's grip was firm.

Kon-Mai stood and reached for her brother's hand. "Gur-Rai?"

He opened his eyes slowly, staring straight up into the lights and blinking.

"Brother, it's me. Kon-Mai. The Assassin."

He looked over to her and smiled a toothy grin. "I knew it."

"...You knew what?"

"I knew you weren't dead." He pointed at her. "I knew you couldn't just...die like that. You're too smart."

"That may be the only nice thing you've ever said to me." Kon-Mai raised a brow.

"My guess is the drugs haven't worn off quite yet." Tygan tossed the needle in the trash and put the vial away. "He's going to be quite loopy for a while."

On cue, Gur-Rai tried to swing his legs over the side of the bed and sit up, and Kon-Mai grabbed him by the shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Goin' out." He swayed considerably as he sat there, and it didn't take much to push him back down.

"You must rest, Brother."

"Nah." He chuckled, weakly trying to push her away. It did not work.

"You're injured."

"Naaaah. I'm just fine." He made a peace sign with his fingers. "See?"

She smiled just a bit. "Yes Brother, I see."

"Where are we?" He looked around.

"We are aboard the Avenger." Kon-Mai sat on the side of his bed. "It is under the command of XCOM."

"The Avenger?" He blinked. "...Why is it small?"

"...This is not all of it." She said, "This is simply one room of many."

He tried to sit up again. "Can I see?"

"Not as of now! You must rest!"

"I want to see the Avenger." He whined like a child.

Kon-Mai smiled. "Stay in bed for now, and I will show you around the Avenger myself."

"...Kay." Gur-Rai relaxed back in his bed. "But you gotta carry me."

"No."

"Please?"

Kon-Mai smirked. "Brother, I carry enough of your weight as it is~"

"You're a bitch."

"Sticks and stones, Brother."

.

.

The Hunter's recovery went slightly more smoothly than The Assassins, even with him going back into surgery the next day to replace his shattered hip with a metal implant. By that time, Kon-Mai's own injuries had stopped bothering her, but she was still keen to join her brother in the gym for his physical therapy, if for no other reason than for the entertainment value.

"And thus, the Mighty Hunter is reduced to toddling like a child without kneecaps." Gur-Rai grumbled as he gripped the metal bars on either side of him. "Outrider owes me several drinks for this."

"Not that you could enjoy them." Kon-Mai pointed out as she bent backward into the bridge position.

"I like the taste."

"Then you may be the only creature who does. Alcohol is noxious."

"That green tea you like is noxious."

"Green tea is relaxing and provides many health benefits."

Gur-Rai smirked. "Not that you could enjoy them."

Kon-Mai scowled as she bounced back up and lifted her leg over her lead.

Gur-Rai seemed to look her over. "...Are you wearing your hair down?"

"What?"

He pointed to her hair. Released from it's protective dreadlocks, she had taken to pulling it into a loose ponytail that sat at the nape of her neck. The curly locks were starting to grow out as well, and had regained some of the sheen and volume she assumed they had at one point.

Kon-Mai avoided his eyes. "...Yes, I am."

"That's new." Gur-Rai grunted as he took a step on his bad leg. "It's a good look on you."

"It's simply for comfort." She bent forward into Downward Dog. "Once out, they are impossible to fit properly back into the casings. It's akin to trying to put toothpaste back into the tube."

"Well then it's a win win." Gur-Rai said as he reached the other side and turned himself on his hands. "I must say I'm slightly jealous. Between you and our brother, there were no good hair genes left for me."

"Oh please." Kon-Mai straightened up and stepped forward into a lunge, clasping her hands in a prayer position. "The Elders gave you many important gifts. Your eyes, for example."

"Yes, I can take comfort that I will never need glasses." Gur-Rai sat down on an inflatable bouncy ball and propped his leg up on one of the bars he'd been holding on to. "Owowowow, fuck…"

Kon-Mai got up and sighed as she walked over, pulling her brother's leg into her lap. "Do not overextend the joint. Here." She shifted so one of her knees was slightly bent forward, keeping his leg level with the ground.

"I remember not long ago you were holding a knife to my throat." Gur-Rai chuckled as he slowly rolled back and forth, stretching out his hip joint. "And now you're holding my foot like a princess~"

"I can drop it, if you so prefer."

Gur-Rai's smile faltered. "Please don't."

Kon-Mai only offered a cheeky smirk as footsteps from outside caught her attention. The famed John Bradford knocked on the wall as he entered.

"Sorry to interrupt your bonding time."

"It is quite alright." Kon-Mai stood and helped Gur-Rai to his feet, and he leaned back against the bar.

"You weren't in your room so I decided to try here. I have your contract all written out." John handed Kon-Mai a clipboard. "We can move somewhere else if you wanna read-"

"Not necessary." Kon-Mai mumbled as her eyes darted over the words. She seemed to process each page in the blink of an eye.

"What's it say?" Gur-Rai asked.

"As of now I am an official employee of the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, also known as XCOM." She said, "My duties will include, but not be limited to, combat, tactical warfare, espionage and various other forms of physical labor and activity. I acknowledge that I have no loyalty to the ADVENT organization and will not interact with the ADVENT organization except on behalf of XCOM. Revisions to this contract may be requested in the event of a medical diagnosis or emergency circumstances. If found in breach of contract, or to be collaborating with ADVENT, I shall be subjected to prosecution and possible court marshalling, and a punishment of up to 100 years in prison and/or capital execution." Kon-Mai looked up at Bradford. "Is this all? Did I misinterpret anything?"

"That's the gist of it. We just need your signature." He handed her a pen.

"It's been a long time since I've been made to sign anything." Kon-Mai said as she clicked the pen. "Pray excuse my scrawl."

"It can't be worse than mine." Bradford chuckled.

Kon-Mai took a while to sign her name, seemingly putting thought into each letter she scratched onto the page. It was a full minute before she handed the clipboard back to Bradford.

"That's interesting…" He mused.

"I apologize-"

"No no, it's really neat." He squinted. "...That's not Etheric, is it?"

She...seemed to think for a minute. "Does it not look it?"

"Kinda but...huh." He chuckled. "Looks like how Shen writes her name."

"Does it?"

"Yeah, Shen sometimes writes in Mandarin sometimes, just for practice. The characters look similar..." He shrugged. "But it doesn't really matter, as long as you're in the system." He stuck out his hand. "Welcome, Kon-Mai Mordenna, to XCOM."

"I am...glad to be here." She took his hand.

"Likewise. When you get a chance, the Commander wants to see you about your first assignment."

"Did she indicate what my mission shall be?"

"Well she had a gleam in her eye and a very concerning smile, so she's probably sending you down with either Mox or Outrider."

Kon-Mai snarled. "Wonderful. I am...on bad terms with both of them."

"Hey, I don't make the rules." Bradford tucked the clipboard under his shoulder. "Oh, and Hunter." He called to her brother. "The Commander wants to talk to you, too. You might wanna go with your sister; kill two stones with one bird."

The Chosen nodded, before exchanging confused glances and looking back at Bradford.

"You know, it...pecks one stone…" Bradford made a pecking motion with his hand "and then it...pecks the other stone...you know what, I'm gonna go-"

"That would be best." Kon-Mai hissed.

As Bradford went running, Gur-Rai hummed in musing. "You surprise me, Dear Sister."

"What?" She looked at him.

"Abandoning our precious Elders to join XCOM?" He feigned disbelief, placing a hand to his head dramatically. "Oh the inhumanity!"

"The Elders believe me dead." Kon-Mai mumbled, taking up a nearby 40 pound set of weights and pulling them into her chest. "What use is there in going back to them?"

"It still amazes me you didn't try." Gur-Rai began making circles with the ankle of his bad leg. "Did you not love them?"

Kon-Mai froze mid-lunge. Her heart hurt with those words. "...You know I love them."

"And yet here you are, ready to kill them." Gur-Rai raised a brow.

"Not everything is about murder, Brother."

"And now the pot's calling the kettle black." Gur-Rai raised one arm above his head in a half shrug. "What do you expect: that you'll be able to reason with the Elders? Convince them to dissolve their government peacefully and then humans and aliens alike will all unite under one banner and sing kumbaya? Because if so, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Sister, but that'll never happen."

Kon-Mai took a deep, deep breath. She'd forgotten her brother's best talent was getting on every single one of her nerves. Even more so now that...he had a point.

"I joined…" She put the weights down and straightened up "because the people on this ship took me in when I was near death. They nursed me back to health and gave me…" She didn't know what to call it, really "...a place to sleep. To hang my armor." She looked Gur-Rai in the eyes. "They bested me in battle. They are clearly the superior warriors. My honor demands I repay their kindness by lending my strength to their cause."

"It sounds to me like you just want to be on the winning side." Gur-Rai smirked. That smirk dropped as a dumbbell whizzed passed his head and hit the wall, making a large hole.

"Enough." Kon-Mai said in a warning tone. Gur-Rai held up his hands in mock surrender and Kon-Mai took a deep breath.

"I am going to dress." She said, heading out the door. Gur-Rai watched her for a moment before realization hit him.

"Wait a minute. How do I get back?" Gur-Rai called after her. "Kon-Mai? Sister? Wait!"

Kon-Mai stood outside in the hall, chucking. She figured she'd give it a few minutes before she came back for him, just to remind him she was (still) in charge.

* * *

(If my Hunter ever met Big Demoband's Hunter from SFTD, mine would be so jealous it would damn near break him. Because Mordenna has these beautiful, fluffy white locks, and my Gur-Rai is as bald as a hairless cat.

I had so much fun writing the banter between The Hunter and The Assassin. Gur-Rai has his weapon of mass sarcasm, but Kon-Mai is quite the sass master herself (pun intended), so the two really bounce off each other effortlessly. It's like they write themselves.

Next chapter out on Saturday!)


	6. How Fast This Thing Can Go

"Hey."

Kon-Mai looked down at her brother as she pushed him down the hall in his wheelchair. "What?"

"Gimme a shove~"

She scoffed. "Absolutely not."

"Come on~" He nudged her with his elbow. "I wanna see how fast this thing can go!"

"Continue to bother me and I just might grant your wish." She grumbled.

"Well then." He elbowed her in the ribs. Kon-Mai growled and, as he wished, kicked the back of his chair, sending him careening down the hall. Immediately she began sprinting after him, realizing that that was probably a bad move, but her brother was oblivious to the danger he was in and was instead cackling like a maniac as he rolled to freedom.

Until his chair came to a sudden stop at the foot of the Commander.

Gur-Rai slowly gazed up at Senuna, who was smiling cheerfully at him. She crossed her arms and said, in a happy tone, "Top of the morning to you."

Gur-Rai quickly regained his bearings and hit her with his million dollar smile. "And the rest of the day to you."

"You must be the famous Hunter."

"You flatter me. Of the two of us, you're clearly more important." He smirked. "Commander."

"Call me Senuna." She giggled. "Funny, I was just about to fetch you two, but here you are!"

Kon-Mai slowed as she reached the two of them. "My apologies, Commander. My brother does not have any perception of time."

"Was it I who left YOU alone for ten minutes without the ability to walk?" Gur-Rai glared at her. "You brought this upon yourself, Sister."

"Well, you're here now!" Senuna clapped and opened the door to her quarters for them. "Jane and John are inside, just waiting on you two."

Kon-Mai pushed Gur-Rai's wheelchair inside and parked him in front of the mahogany desk. She opted to stand beside him, shifting her weight onto one leg and taking up a more comfortable stance. She found herself completely relaxed in the presence of Bradford and the Commander, but Jane was still giving her the side-eye.

"So to start." Bradford said. "The Resistance Council has accepted your contract, Assassin. As of now, you're a member of XCOM."

"It shall be an honor to serve on the side of the Commander." Kon-Mai bowed politely.

"I'm sure it will. We've put your details in the system, except for your callsign. We could always put you down as 'Assassin,' but we figured we'd ask you if you had any preferences."

Kon-Mai blinked. "...Callsign?"

"Like how Elena is 'Outrider' and Mox is...well, he's just Mox." Bradford coughed. "But you saw it with some of the other soldiers. Demetria Min is 'Princess,' Maruf Taj is 'Mithridates', Zack Clotilde is 'Tiwaz', and Jane Kelly here is 'Quiet'."

"Fitting." Gur-Rai chuckled.

Kon-Mai crossed her arms and thought for a moment. At first she was content to stay "the Assassin" but...now was technically her chance to rebrand herself.

"That is...a big decision." She said. "Must I decide on it now?"

Bradford looked a bit taken aback. "You don't have to. Some soldiers prefer it but we can use Assassin as a placeholder for now."

"Will I get to choose a cool nickname?" Gur-Rai smirked.

"Well that depends." Bradford crossed his arms.

"On?"

"Same spiel as last time." Jane finally spoke, sounding very unhappy. "We'd like you on our team instead of the Elders."

"I have some demands." Gur-Rai sat forward and put his elbows on the desk.

The three officers looked stunned for a moment, but the Commander gestured for him to continue.

"I want my gun back." He said, "The lovely Outrider seems to have cast a spell, and my dearest rifle has disappeared into the abyss."

"We have other guns." Jane said.

"No, nothing as good as the Darklance." Hunter seemed to growl. "I built that gun from scratch. I want it back."

"I can't guarantee-" Bradford began, but the Commander waved at him.

"I can take care of that. Hunter, you'll get your gun back, good as new!"

"Thank you." Gur-Rai smirked. "Secondly: I want a company car."

"Can you even drive?" Jane scoffed.

"Meet me on the racetrack, and I'll prove to you I can~"

"Yeah but can you FIT in a car?" She sneered. "Your legs are as long as my body. Reaching the pedals is gonna be a real bit-"

"We'll issue you a vehicle." Bradford rolled his eyes. "Maybe a motorcycle or something..."

"We still have that old Triumph Tiger right?" Senuna asked.

"I think so. It hasn't been touched since Shen blew out the front wheel." Bradford looked over to Gur-Rai. "Tell you what, we have an old Adventure Dirtbike gathering dust. Fix it, and it's yours."

"Wonderful." Gur-Rai's eyes seemed to sparkle. "One last thing." He pointed to Bradford. "I want that sweater."

"...What?" The Commander blinked in disbelief. Kon-Mai rolled her eyes, and Bradford looked on in horror.

"Absolutely not!" He cried.

"Oh? I guess you don't have a deal then."

"Brother, you're being an ass." Kon-Mai growled.

"I must ensure my demands are met, Dear Sister. I'm surprised you didn't think of this first."

"That sweater won't even fit you!" Jane scoffed. "You are literally three times his size."

"Ah, but that material is incredible." Gur-Rai winked.

"If you want a sweater, I can make you a sweater." Senuna said.

"Alas, can anything beat the plush softness of...what is that cloth?"

"Wool." Bradford grumbled

"We have wool." Senuna said. "I can make you one exactly like it, and you won't have to stretch it out to wear it."

"And how exactly did you acquire wool, Commander? Is there a sheep hiding somewhere in your office?"

"It's synthetic wool." Jane groaned. "It feels exactly like the real thing except Tygan grows it on a hook in a lab."

Gur-Ria seemed to think for a moment. "...Hmmm...I don't know, seems inferior to the real thing." Gur-Rai smiled at Bradford. "And you know first hand how _coveted_ that sweater is."

"How about this, brother." Kon-Mai growled. "Take the deal right now, or I shall toss your precious Darkclaw from the Avenger's window."

He narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't dare."

"Care to test it?" She stared him down. It was a hard-fought battle, but Gur-Rai ultimately faltered.

"I suppose a sweater that fits me is a pretty good deal." He sighed. "Fine. I'll join your club."

Senuna clapped. "Wonderful!"

"Yeah." Bradford grumbled.

"Now for my callsign-" Gur-Rai began, but Bradford stopped him.

"That we'll figure out once we draw up your contract. And AFTER you can walk properly again."

Senuna leaned forward. "Tygan says you're making progress, so I hope that day will come sooner than later."

"Well then, my recovery shall be swift." He smiled a toothy grin. "Oh how good it will feel to give those Elders a taste of their own sweet, sweet medicine."

"There's one last issue." Jane interjected. "It has to do with the Assassin's request."

Kon-Mai raised a brow. "I assume you're referring to our eldest brother?"

"Yes." Senuna said, lacing her fingers together. "Where is he?"

Gur-Rai and Kon-Mai remained in blank silence.

"...Oh god dammit." Bradford said. "You don't know?"

"Listen, John, we may be siblings," Gur-Rai sneered "but that doesn't mean we'd pop over to each other's strongholds for afternoon tea. I've never even seen Kon-Mai's house, and neither of us know where Dhar-Mon is hiding."

"Dhar-Mon being...the Warlock?"

"Yep."

Senuna nodded. "Okay...okay. This is fine." She sounded like she was about to scream but was holding it in. "No, really, we can figure something out."

"There might be a way…" Jane seemed to chew her thumb. "I'll need to talk to Tygan and Shen, but if Geist can lend us one of his Templars..."

They all looked at her.

"Your chips, the ones we extracted, came with the location of your stronghold embedded in them." Jane said. "Now that we have both of yours, in theory I could get Shen to use them to access the signal from the Warlock's stronghold. Hacking the signal will take a Templar or someone psionic, but if we can…"

"Then do what you must." Kon-Mai said. "If we can be of any assistance, please, alert us immediately."

"Yeah." Jane saluted the Commander. "I'll go do that now, ma'am."

"Kay!" Senuna said as she saluted back, and Jane quickly left the room.

"And you!" Senuna pointed at Kon-Mai, who looked startled.

"What?"

"Oh silly, today is your first mission!" She clapped eagerly. "You've been out of the game a while, so I'm sending you on an easy one. We just have a settlement that needs checking up on."

"What will be my duty?"

"Just patrol the area for any ADVENT or Lost." Senuna shrugged. "You'll probably find nothing, but this settlement is a bit out there so you never know."

"I understand. Who shall be my attendants?"

"Only one." Senuna had a gleam in her eye. "You know Betos, right?"

Kon-Mai grimaced noticeably. "Please no..."

"You two will be going down together!" Senuna was either oblivious to Kon-Mai's discomfort, or she didn't care.

"Commander…" Kon-Mai said "I spent entire years of my life tracking Betos to kill her. She would have no reason to trust me."

"Well she agreed to come on the mission, so she can't hate you that much."

Kon-Mai clasped her hands together. "...I do not trust that I could be of best use to you with her as my...partner." She was practically begging now. "Even if I accompany someone unfamiliar, I am confident we could find a way to work with each other's strengths in little time, moreso than with Betos."

"That's why I'm sending you with Betos." Senuna's smile looked tenuous. "Do you think all my soldiers like each other? They fight quite often, like humans do. But they put their differences aside for the good of the cause, and because I tell them to. If you're going to be my soldier, you need to learn to do that."

Kon-Mai's face settled into a stony frown. "...Is this an order, Commander?"

"Yes." Senuna's glare was like a knife. "You are going to attend the mission with Betos of the Skirmishers, and you are going to get along whether you like each other or not. You are dismissed."

.

.

Kon-Mai was not easily angered, but right now she was fuming. At least she'd been able to hold her cool in front of the Commander, but that woman...she could be so infuriating!

Gur-Rai seemed to be loving her discomfort, as he looked up at her and said "I think it'll be a good experience for you, to finally see what life on the business end of your blade is like."

Kon-Mai didn't answer, and Gur-Rai's smile fell.

"Kon-Mai, stop."

She ignored him, until he reached for the break on his chair and brought them both to a screeching halt.

"Brother, I cannot deal with your badgering at the moment." Kon-Mai was biting the inside of her cheek, torn between crying and screaming at him. She couldn't remember the last time she'd cried. Maybe it would be cathartic.

"I know." He turned to face her. "Look at me, Sister."

She slowly met his gaze.

"You have nothing to fear from Betos." He said,

"...I know." She replied quietly. "I'm not worried about her retaliation."

"...You want her to accept you."

"I need her to." She retorted. "If she does not trust me, It could put us both in danger. I will not fail the first task the Commander gives me, even if she seems to be setting me up to fail."

Gur-Rai took his sister's hand. "If I recall, the entire Skirmisher MO is built on forgiving ex-ADVENT." He smiled. "Betos will accept you, Sister. She'd be a hypocrite if she didn't."

"But should she? I am the Assassin."

"You were the Elders' Assassin. Now you are XCOM's Assassin. It's totally different." He rubbed her hand with his thumb. "And if she has a problem with you, tell her to come take it up with your dearest big brother~"

Kon-Mai chuckled at that. "Yes Brother, I shall."

She continued pushing him into the next room, the armory, and saw Gur-Rai looking around excitedly. "I take it you're impressed?"

"Well this explains why XCOM has been such a pain in the neck." He marveled. "They've made larger strides than I thought. And is that a Gauss rifle? No wonder Outrider put a hole in me!"

Kon-Mai chuckled, he was like a little kid. She left his chair by some of the rifles and went over to the armor, where she found hers easily.

Except, it wasn't hers. On top of the mysterious pile of clothing, there lay a yellow post-it.

_"Sorry!"_ It read in sloppy, partial cursive. _"We couldn't fix your armor so Shen and I made you a new set! Hope it fits!  
XOXO,  
Senuna."_

Kon-Mai grimaced as she crumpled the note. She was disappointed, she would admit. She had forged that armor herself, put years of work into perfecting it…

She picked up the provided gear and immediately noticed how soft it was. The chest area was thick, seemingly padded and reinforced, but the entire suit seemed to be made of stretchy, soft fabric. It was black like her old armor, but instead of red accents, it was lined with dark green and aqua blue. It came in two parts, the pants a completely separate entity from the tunic. Upon picking it up, she saw the shirt fell to below her hips and was styled a bit like a yukata, with flaps that could be tied and adjusted in the front. It had mid-length sleeves and came up to her clavicle, leaving her forearms and, more importantly, her neck exposed. But for that, Senuna had provided a black mesh collar adorned with little, sparkling gems. Beside that, a pair of fingerless gloves.

Kon-Mai pulled off her shirt.

"What are you doing?" Gur-Rai asked, looking up from the double-barrel shotgun he was playing with.

"Look away please."

For once in his life, he didn't argue with her, and simply turned his head to the side as his sister stripped and put on the new set of armor. Like her old set, it hugged her body, but it felt...softer. Lighter. She had never realized how weighed down she felt until she put it on. She slipped her feet into the shoes, simple black flats, and spread her arms wide. "Look now."

Gur-Rai looked back.

"Well?"

"You look like Oda Nobunaga."

"I do not know if that's a compliment but I choose to believe it is." She picked up the clothes she had discarded and put them back on the table. "Gur-Rai."

"Hm?"

She smiled a bit. "I would like your help to test something." She faced him. "Shoot me."

Gur-Rai looked actually horrified. "...Please, sister, you have so much to live for."

"I do not intend to die." She held her arm out. "Shoot me. I have a theory I would like to test."

Gur-Rai sighed and took a simple .45 from the weapon rack and loaded it. "Okay, on three. Ready, three."

She staggered as the gun went off and the bullet slammed into her arm, knocking her sideways a few steps. The site stung, but as she looked down, she smiled.

There was no hole. Not even a tear in the fabric.

"Wow." Gur-Rai looked impressed. "I have higher hopes for my sweater, now."

"Indeed." Kon-Mai smoothed her yukata and took her hair out of it's ponytail. She had been washing it slightly more regularly, and it had regained it's curl pattern and now hung in tight ringlets around her shoulders, like a river of clouds.

"Now you're showing off." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "And I'm still holding the gun."

"Shoot me then." She chuckled as she began to braid her hair.

The sound of footsteps drew near outside the door, and before Kon-Mai could finish tying off her braid, Betos stormed into the armory.

"What is going on here?!" Betos looked between the two Chosen.

Gur-Rai pointed to Kon-Mai. "She started it."

Betos looked at Kon-Mai. "Don't 'start' anything please. I don't need you dead before we even get on the battlefield."

"I was testing my armor." Kon-Mai growled.

"You can do that on the mission without potentially killing yourself or someone else." Betos beckoned her away. "It's time for us to leave. Follow me."

Kon-Mai's lip twitched as she followed Betos, sulking as she left the room. Gur-Rai slowly wheeled after her, grabbing her skirt. "Sister."

She looked back at him.

He gave her a toothy grin.

.

.

Shen wanted to punch Geist in his big dumb head. It seemed like he existed solely to make their lives difficult. Unless the Commander herself went down and pointed a revolver in his face, he refused to comply with anything XCOM asked of them.

"No luck?" Tygan swiveled his chair around to face Shen.

"I hate him." Shen muttered. "He refused to even hear me out! I thought he'd jump at the chance to take out Warlock!"

"He may know what we have done with the other two." Tygan said. "I can't blame him for being reluctant to liberate the enemy."

"...That's true." She put her head in her hands. "But now we gotta go the long way around to find the Warlock."

"Not necessarily. We simply need someone psionically gifted, it doesn't have to be a Templar."

"...I suppose. But it's dangerous, I'd rather have someone who could resist him if he tries any funny business." She blinked. "Oooh, what if we got-"

"I know who you're suggesting and no."

"Aw come on!" Shen whined. "She's got more power than my portable generator!"

"The Commander will have our heads." Tygan stood up. "If she found out we recruited Molly for this…"

"But she could do the job." Shen said.

"...She could do the job." Tygan sighed. "...You really think she could handle it?"

"I know she can. She's been practicing." Shen nodded. "You know her even better than I do, Tygan. Don't you think she's ready?"

Tygan sighed in exasperated defeat, and pressed the call button on the console. "Malinalli Zúñiga, please report to Engineering."

* * *

(The best part of writing the Chosen is the interaction between Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai. He's a lil shit, and Kon-Mai is quite the sass master herself, so they just bounce off of each other very easily. It's like they write themselves, sometimes.

I know Warlock isn't as loved as his siblings but for those of you out there who can't wait to see our favorite psionic lugnut, wait no more as next chapter, we will finally get some scenes from his POV!)


	7. The Beast in Disguise

The people of Tivoli were in a state of complete and utter panic. The ancient Roman streets were dark, their lanterns going unlit as though the darkness would shield them from the storm that was coming. A few families had fled for the hills, leaping the metal walls, hoping to make it to a resistance camp, but many simply thought to barricade themselves in their homes. Even more still opted to simply wait outside by the large wooden crucifix that stood buried in the grassy knoll. They shivered in the morning air, waiting.

Children cried, confused as to why they had been dragged out there so early. Their mothers hushed them, pulling them close to give them some semblance of protection. The men of the town moved to the front, a meager barricade against the storm they knew was coming.

For they had incurred his wrath.

They heard screams from beyond the gates. ADVENT would not let them flee so easily. Gunshots rang out in the near silent air. An old lady began to sob, screaming for the salvation of God. A few hushed her, but many more began to pray with her.

They saw the purple light up the road. Him and his tour of priests at his side.

And then he was upon them.

.

.

"This is your first attempt at contact." Tygan said. "So don't expect it to go smoothly."

"Thanks, Doc, for the encouraging words." Shen muttered as she plastered the rubber nodes onto Malinalli's forehead. "But like he said, if you can even make contact for a second, that's something. Don't think you need to perform a miracle."

"I know…" Malinalli said, swallowing nervously. "How long should I stay?"

"If we see any major fluctuations, we'll pull you out." Shen said. "If you're in danger, just scream. We'll hear you."

"...Okay." She did not feel comforted by that answer.

Shen clamped two wires to the chips they had extracted from the Chosen. The Assassin's was slightly more bent and burnt, but it seemed to give off the biggest spark as Shen powered them on.

"Is that safe to touch?" Malinalli asked.

Shen picked one up. "Pretty sure it is. Doc?"

"I doubt it. But we have no other option."

Shen handed the chips to Malinalli, one in each hand. "Just close your eyes, kiddo. We'll take it from here."

"Remember, it is like a dream." Tygan said. "You can wake up."

"It's just like a dream." Malinalli laid her head back in the chair and closed her eyes.

.

.

A flash of light. Darkness. Silence. Then a sound like rushing water, and her skin was on fire. Then pain, and light, and Malinalli opened her eyes to the sound of screams.

She could feel the ground beneath her body; the cold rocky cobblestone and the grass poking through it. She could feel the bite of the air on her naked skin, and quickly rose to cover herself before she saw her body was nearly translucent.

The people around her did not pay her any mind as she stood, covering herself on instinct, although her long curly hair helped provide a veil for her body. They were focused on something ahead.

A flash of purple light, and the grassy knoll before them caught fire. The people screamed and fell back, Malinalli stumbling with them. She could feel the immense, pulsating heat as though she were standing in the flames.

And from the flames, he emerged.

His head was lowered, almost solemnly, and his fists were clenched in restraint. He scanned the people around her, and for a moment his eyes fell on Malinalli. The flames licked at his blue skin as the cross beside him burned.

This was Dhar-Mon Madron. This was the Warlock.

Children cried, women screamed and men turned and ran instead of staying to fight, but Malinalli stood, captivated by the sight of him. He seemed to gaze right through her, his eyes lingering on her for only a second longer than the rest.

Then he spoke.

"After the kindness I have shown you, you seek to abandon me?" His voice reverberated through her very soul. "After the kindness the Elders have shown you, you would commune with those who would wish them dead?!"

There were shouts and screams: protests in a language that sounded almost familiar to her, but not...

"You have defiled my master's names with your prayers to a dead god." The Warlock raised his hands, and the cross beside him exploded in a flurry of wood chips and iron bearings. "And now, I shall return purity to this sacred place…in the name of the Elders!"

This was it, now or never. Malinalli braced herself and darted forward, pushing through the crowd of people who seemed to hold her back. She had to make contact. She had to stop him.

She could stop him.

Psionic energy circled the crowd like a storm brewing in the ocean. The people began to wail harder, screeching in horror.

Malinalli reached out, so close now she could see his eyes. They were black as night where they should have been white.

_"STOP!"_ She screamed with all the force her little body possessed, and grabbed his arm.

She felt a zap, like a static shock, and then she was falling. Only for a moment did she glimpse the look on the Warlock's face.

For just a moment, he had seen her.

.

.

Tygan and Shen jumped to their feet as Malinalli sat up, gasping. "I made contact!"

"I'll say! Your brainwaves just flew off the charts!" Shen began pulling the nodes off her face. "What in the fuck happened there?!"

"I touched him!" Malinalli was shaking, her hands clasped around the chips. "I touched him…"

"I garnered that from the massive jump in readings." Tygan said.

"I had to." She gasped. "He was going to hurt them."

"Hurt...who?" Shen asked.

"People. A lot of people. They were...so scared. I felt it. And I felt him and…" She took a deep breath. "I'd like to go back."

Shen and Tygan exchanged wary looks.

"I'm unsure if that's wise." Tygan said. "Such direct contact may mean that you are no longer hidden to his psionic mind.. You will be in grave danger."

"I don't care." Malinalli snapped. "If I can do something save the people under his rule, it's worth everything I have, including my mind." She looked to Shen. "Besides, I still don't know his location, and that's why you started this whole thing."

Shen sighed and looked at Tygan. "She's got a point."

Tygan nodded. "We shall continue tomorrow, then. Once you have had a chance to rest."

.

.

Vatican City. A glowing beacon of a dead god, now the center of his power.

Dhar-Mon Madron stood on the cathedral balcony and overlooked his kingdom. Beyond the soldiers who patrolled his borders and kept them safe, he saw the men and women he'd saved from the wilderness beginning to migrate to the church doors. They were coming to pray.

He smiled. The Elders would be so very pleased when they saw what he had done, how he had expanded their power. It was all under his control now and by extension, their control.

He stepped forward as the villagers began to kneel before the chapel, hands clasped in prayer.

_*"Citizens of Earth."*_ He called out, speaking in the deep Etheric language of the Elders, with one of his priests at the bottom repeating his words in their native Italian. _*"Yesterday, your brethren sought to betray me. They have harbored treacherous thoughts inside their walls, and done evil in my city. And yet, their homes still stand…"*_ He paused, searching for the right words to explain his sudden retreat the day before.

The people began to murmur, and he could feel them speculating, doubting him. How dare they doubt his power. He could feel the weak hold he had on them slipping through his fingers…

_*"SILENCE."*_ He barked. _*"DO NOT MAKE ME RECONSIDER MY MERCIFUL TREATMENT OF YOU!"*_

A few people in the front cried out, just from the power in his voice. Dhar-Mon took a deep breath.

_*"They live because I am kind…"*_ He could feel his teeth clench instinctively. _*"They live because...I care for them."*_ He took a breath. _*"But should they ever doubt me again, I shall rain hellfire upon them! The wrath of the Elders SHALL BE KNOWN!"*_ His voice was like thunder, so much so that the air around him crackled with his fury.

_*"Quai eiz los Vox, quai eiz lor Nergal."*_ The people called out, in the little Etheric they knew. _*"Praise be the Elders, praise be the Warlock."*_

_"Are they worshiping him?"_

He looked around, his body suddenly on high alert. "Who goes there?" Scanning the area, he saw nothing. The voice sounded soft and distant...

It made a noise, like surprise, then it fell silent.

He growled, turning back to his people. _*"Go, now, and never forget the kindness I have shown you today."*_

As the people began to disperse, Dhar-Mon slipped back into the golden halls of his cathedral, looking around for the source of the voice.

"Speak. Now." He began to reach out with his mind. "I shall find you."

_"They looked like they came to pray."_ It finally continued, hesitantly. _"Do they see you as God?"_

He scoffed. "I am a mere extension of the Elders. It is them they pray to."

_"Do they know that?"_ It asked him.

"If they do not, they will soon." He growled. "And so will you, Phantom."

_"Oh."_ It almost seemed to chuckle.

Dhar-Mon's hands began to glow. "Do you mock me?!"

_"No! God no! I mean-!"_

"Yes, you do!" He threw his fist towards nothing, hitting the wall instead. "Show yourself then! Are you a demon?! A witch who has cast a curse upon me?!"

_"I'm not a demon!"_ It cried, and he could feel it's fear. _"Just trust me."_

"You fear me…" He forced a smile. "Good. Do as I say, Phantom, and show yourself."

_"...I won't."_

His temper flared. "Then you shall face-!"

_"I can't."_ It said. _"I'm sorry."_

Dhar-Mon felt the anger in him turn to confusion. "...Why are you sorrowful?"

Instead of an answer, he felt the presence dim, then grow silent. Again, Dhar-Mon was alone.

.

.

Malinalli handed the chips back to Shen. "It looked like a chapel."

"That's all?" She sighed. "That could be anywhere."

Malinalli shrugged. "I still can't figure out the language they're speaking. He was using Etheric but the priest was translating into…" She scratched her hair. "It sounds just a bit like Spanish but...not. I keep thinking Portuguese but that feels wrong."

"You have to return to him." Tygan insisted "We need more info."

"He's already suspicious." Malinalli said worriedly. "If I keep prying he might figure out how to close himself off to me."

Shen and Tygan exchanged glances, and Tygan shrugged.

"Just do what you're comfortable with." Shen said.

"But we need his location sooner rather than later." Tygan added. "If the Warlock finds out we have both of his siblings, he might get desperate. And then he will do something stupid. And we do not want that."

Malinalli took the chips again, cradling them in her hands. "...I'll keep trying. I think...I have an idea."

.

.

Kon-Mai tucked her legs under her as she stared at the settlement below her. The overhanging cliff kept them sheltered from the sun and wind, but the prying eyes of ADVENT could see through such disguises.

Betos, beside her, quietly loaded her gun with ammo and cocked it, looking down the iron sights. Kon-Mai looked up at her and reached for her blade. "What do you see?"

"Nothing." Betos muttered. "And it bothers me."

Kon-Mai nodded. "You believe ADVENT will appear here."

"Yes." Betos muttered. "This place is too peaceful. Too quiet. They're so good at hiding, it makes them suspicious: ADVENT undoubtedly knows they're here."

Kon-Mai raised a brow.

"Even the abandoned areas have the Lost." Betos said. "Nothing is ever silent, at least not for this long. ADVENT will be sending someone out to check very soon."

Kon-Mai looked back out over the settlement. The humans below seemed to be staying under the cover of rocks and trees. One woman was covering freshly washed clothes with leaves to disguise their color. A man was standing downwind of the fire in order to block the smoke. It all seemed so peaceful but…

Betos was right. Kon-Mai lived in shadows, she knew when something was too quiet to be empty.

She stood, drawing her blade, and craned her ears to listen. She heard the wind gently rustle in the trees, the gentle stirrings of birds and people chattering from below...

Then she heard movement.

"I have them." She hissed.

"Where?"

Kon-Mai pointed dead ahead. "An ambush."

"They are coming through the front door, as they say." Betos grappled a nearby branch and swung down, Kon-Mai jumping to the ground after her.

.

.

The feeling of wind on his face awoke him. At first, he felt calmed by it.

But then he opened his eyes, the light cutting through his eyelids like a blade, and he realized: this was not his stronghold.

Dhar-Mon sat upright, finding himself not in his bed, but on a grassy patch surrounded by trees. The noon sun shone through green leaves in patches of light, tickling his skin.

He jumped to his feet, and quickly realized he was completely naked. He hugged his arms over his chest, as though that would maintain his modesty.

"FOOLS!" He bellowed into the trees. "STRIPPING ME OF MY ARMOR SHALL NOT WEAKEN MY POWER!"

Silence answered him. Whoever had taken him was not nearby at least. He would have to find them first, in order to flay them alive.

Trying to stay hidden behind shrubs and trees, he made his way through the dense forest, the light slowly shifting as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky. He wondered how these assailants had managed to find him, let alone kidnap him and dump him in the middle of nowhere. Was he even still in Italy?

In the distance, he heard the sound of running water, and with it, a voice. Dhar-Mon bared his teeth. Finally, he would have his revenge on the person who did this to him.

He crept up on the river, and peered over the line of shrubbery to see…

One lone figure. A woman, her back to him as she knelt by the riverbank. Though he was sure he hadn't made a noise, she lifted her head as he approached her.

For a moment he stared. Her long, black hair cascaded down her back in tight, coiled ringlets. Her skin was dark, like the bark of the trees surrounding them, but her face was still dotted with freckles, and her eyes were...blinding. A brilliant color that sat between blue and green. He stood there transfixed by her sight, and she looked toward him and smiled brightly.

She was singing. It was not a language he recognized, not any of the officially sanctioned human languages and certainly not Etheric. He listened closer, straining his ears to catch the words.

_"Pa chelu' gusaanu' naa...  
Xunaxi huiini' ni jmá nadxii  
Napa ladxidua'  
Ratiisi chelu' zia'  
Ti lii nga guenda, biseenda Diuxi  
Ni gatenia."_

It definitely wasn't a language he recognized. For a moment he wondered if she was singing actual words or just gibberish. He closed his eyes and stood fully in her line of sight, unable to move, transfixed on her voice.

Then Dhar-Mon remembered he was still naked.

He ducked behind a tree and began to call forth his power but...something held his hand back. He couldn't say why, but his usually fiery temper refused to flare in this place. He could not summon the will to do harm here.

The woman's singing stopped, and instead, she spoke. "You're here, that's good! I was afraid I did this wrong."

He growled. "Are you the one who has captured me?"

She sounded confused. "Captured you?"

"You invaded my stronghold and stripped me of my armor, bringing me to this forsaken place!" He cried. "Why?! Speak your demands!"

She was silent for only a moment. "...You don't know my voice?"

He fell silent. Did he know her voice? Why on Earth should he?

She began to sing again.

_"Pa chelu' gusaanu' naa  
Xunaxi huiini' ni jmá nadxii  
Napa ladxidua'..."_

He almost gasped and ducked farther behind the tree. "You! You are the voice inside of my head!"

"Yes." He heard her stand up and begin to move towards him, her footsteps rustling on the grass. "It's me. And it was me there, the day at the village…"

Now he saw it. Her green, maybe blue, eyes. Her black curls that he had felt brush his skin. Her face was so familiar to him.

"You demon!" He hissed, but he felt the words catch in his throat. He could barely bring himself to utter them. "You beast in disguise! How dare you!"

"How dare I what?"

"You have violated me in the most heinous way!" He growled. "You questioned my judgement, in front of my subjects! You assaulted my mind and now you have infiltrated my stronghold!"

"I didn't." She protested. "You haven't left your stronghold."

He didn't know how to respond to that. "...You deceive me."

"I swear." She said, and though he could not see her, he could practically feel her smile. "But you already know that, don't you?"

He touched the skin on his arm, pinching it hard. He could feel a slight pressure but no matter how hard he pulled or twisted, no pain.

"...You come to me in a dream." He said softly. "Or a nightmare."

"Yes."

"Why?!" He demanded. "Why have you sought me out if only to torture me?! And why strip me?! Is this part of your hazing, demon?!"

"I'm sorry." She said, "I...don't have control over that. I'm naked too."

He snuck a brief glance. She was indeed naked, her bronze skin glistening in the setting sun.

Dhar-Mon looked away, closing his eyes firmly. "If this is a dream, I shall simply wake up."

"Hear me out first." Malinalli seemed to get closer. "I have something to tell you."

"What?!" He barked.

"...The Elders are going to fall." She said, "And you will fall with them, if you don't let me help you."

Dhar-Mon laughed, but it was more like a cry. "You speak slander and lies! The Elders will not fall, they are eternal. The humans of this planet love them."

"Not all the humans."

He growled. "If you refer to the heretics known as XCOM, they shall be dealt with soon enough."

"Will they?" She asked.

"Yes. For I am the Elder's favored child, and I shall see the demise of all who oppose them." He looked back at Malinalli. She was still there, her black hair bouncing in the rustling wind. She locked eyes with him.

"If you stay," she said, "you'll die. XCOM is coming and they have-"

"Then let them come." He growled, pinching the skin on his arm in an attempt to awaken. "I welcome their arrival."

"Dhar-Mon, you don't understand!"

"Neither do you!" He dug his nails into his skin. "I am their CHOSEN!"

With a gasp, Dhar-Mon sat up in his bed, looking around at his gold and silver adorned chambers. The canopy above him was still, no sign of even a draft. The moon outside still shone high in the sky. It was far too early to be awake.

He stood slowly, running a hand through his hair. He dared not return to sleep, lest he return to her.

.

.

The two women dove into the treeline, veering towards the sound of the oncoming ADVENT attack. Kon-Mai was significantly faster with her long, long legs, but Betos managed to keep up with her grappling hook as a supplement to her movement. The two ploughed through the trees, practically crashing into the three vipers that were converging on the settlement.

One viper woman bared her teeth in surprise, obviously recognizing Kon-Mai. This gave the Chosen her chance to strike, and with a single move, she sliced the viper in two right at the neck. Green blood shot from the wound, splattering all around, and the corpse landed in front of her with a thud.

Kon-Mai bared her own sharp canines and hissed back at the other two, but at this point, the other vipers had recovered from the shock of her attack. One of them lashed out toward Kon-Mai, who jumped back and grabbed a tree branch, pulling herself up to a higher vantage point.

Betos, not nearly as graceful as her compatriot, tumbled headfirst into the snake women, pulling the trigger on her gun and spraying them with ammo. One snake was hit several times but she did not fall. The other disappeared into an adjacent tree.

"Get underneath her!" Kon-Mai shouted at Betos.

"That will give her ample opportunity to bite me!" Betos growled as she fired at the wounded one. This time, though, the viper was prepared, and weaved around the bullets like a wraith.

"She can only bite you if she can reach you! She cannot curl down far enough without biting herself!" Kon-Mai drew her dagger and crouched, aiming for the snake in the tree.

"I will be in range of her bite!" Betos protested.

Kon-Mai snarled. "YOU WILL BE KILLED IF YOU DO NOT MOVE!"

"I will be killed if I listen to y-" She broke off in a scream as the viper darted forward and bit her in the shoulder. Betos threw her off, but went down with the force of the blow. Disoriented, she crab walked backward away from the vipers, her gun lying to the side, useless.

Kon-Mai's eyes darted between Betos and the hiding viper. She had little time: this one was in her line of sight, but Betos was seriously wounded. Another moment and the other viper would be on top of her…

The viper across from Kon-Mai had spotted her, and hissed. Kon-Mai swore the she was smiling, almost taunting the Chosen woman.

Kon-Mai pulled her sword from her back, and jumped.

The viper on the ground lashed out, her teeth bared, going for Betos' leg. But the bite never came. Instead, the creature's head landed beside her with a thud.

Kon-Mai stood up and flicked her katana, cleaning the green blood from the blade. She crouched beside Betos.

"You are injured." She took off her sash and pressed it to the bite on Betos' shoulder, as an attempt to stop the bleeding. It did next to nothing, but Betos held it there, perhaps as comfort.

"The other one…" She croaked out. "It's escaping…"

Kon-Mai looked up, watching the viper dart from tree to tree, disappearing into the distance. She picked up her blade, intending to follow...but stopped.

"...Let it go." She growled.

"They will know a settlement is here…" Betos murmured. "And...they will know you are alive."

"...Very well." Kon-Mai smiled softly. "Perhaps they shall send their best next time."

"I hope not." Betos groaned. Kon-Mai knelt again and lifted Betos to her feet, letting the woman lean on her arm as they began to move slowly from the battle site.

"We must instruct the people here," Betos added, "that they have to leave. ADVENT will come back."

"Leave that to me."

"They might refuse, what will you do then? You need someone to negotiate."

"If I need a negotiator, I shall elect my brother." Kon-Mai smirked. "But in any case, I believe my blade will be incentive enough."

"Please don't-"

"I will not hurt the humans." Kon-Mai sighed. "It was...a joke, as you call it."

"A...joke."

"Yes. Like the humans tell." She stopped, letting Betos pull herself up a bit. "I know how to speak to the masses. The Elders…" She felt herself cringe at old memories that were now half-faded. "They often showed us to the people as a sign of pride. I spoke to them many times."

"And...they liked you?" Betos looked skeptical.

"I do not know." Kon-Mai tried to sound like it didn't bother her but...it did. She had no idea how the people of the city centers saw her or her brothers. Did they love her like the Elders said? Or did they fear her inhuman face?

"Then how can you expect to convince a group of people who know you as the enemy?" Betos didn't even try to hide the bite in her voice.

"By offering myself." Kon-Mai snapped. "I shall lead the refugees wherever they wish to go. I shall be their guardian and slay all who dares to trifle with them. For I am a servant of the people.

Betos looked up at her in utter shock. Then she smiled.

"Perhaps I underestimated you, _Vox Prima_."

The Assassin shook her head. "Call me that no more. I am simply Kon-Mai, now."

* * *

(Won't lie my dudes, I've had a rough week. I hope you all are coping with the isolation well. I have this fic to comfort me, so that helps, but it's been a big adjustment nonetheless.

I had a totally different script for this chapter written but I went back and basically restructured the whole thing. I tend to favor the Assassin and the Hunter in my writing, so I really wanted to make sure I wasn't giving the Warlock the short end of the stick. I won't lie, I really like how it turned out!

The song Malinalli is singing is called Xquenda by Susana Harp, and the language is Zapotec.)


	8. The Ones Who Lay Dead

He would not succumb.

He would not succumb.

He would not succumb.

Dhar-Mon would not succumb to these urges.

He stared at the ceiling of the chapel, his eyes drifting in and out of focus. The angels painted on the ceiling looked as though they were pointing at him.

He would not fall asleep.

He hadn't slept in a full day, and with how much power he had, how much he used on the daily, that was almost a death sentence. But Dhar-Mon refused to close his eyes.

He knew as soon as he did, he would see her.

As he sat on his throne at the head of the altar, his guards and soldiers lined up to give him their daily reports. Surrounded by gold and with them a good few steps below him, Dhar-Mon was confident that, if not a god, at least he looked like a king.

This was his domain, and none would take it from him.

_*"The commune of Guardia is anxious."*_ Trooper 8675 reported, their Etheric awkward and rough. Dhar-Mon growled.

_*"Over what?"*_ Compared to the troops, the way he spoke was like music. Etheric had to come from the throat and chest, not from the tip of the tongue like so many sank to.

_*"They believe there is a curse on this place. One family has refused to come for worship, and the others follow suit."*_

_*"A curse?"*_ Dhar-Mon bared his sharp teeth. _*"Such a suggestion is blasphemy."*_

_*"Yes Madron but...they refuse to follow the Elders' law. They cling to the dead god."*_

_*"If they will not succumb to the Elders' law, then we must bring it to them."*_ He gestured for them to leave. _*"Make preparations for us to march on Guardia."*_

Trooper 8675 bowed and departed, leaving silence when they left.

_"Do you think you're cursed?"_

Dhar-Mon froze noticeably, his whole body tensing up at the voice in his head. Very quietly in hopes his troops would not hear, he whispered "Go. Away."

_"I'm not a witch."_ Malinalli said. _"I didn't put a curse on you~"_

Dhar-Mon closed his eyes, ignoring her.

_"You need to listen."_ She insisted. _"If you stay here, you will die, and I can't let that happen."_

Dhar-Mon hoped Malinalli could feel the doubt he expressed in his face. "You lie." He whispered. "You humans wish for our demise. I know you, XCOM, and you cannot fool me."

_"Someone very important made us promise to bring you home safe."_

"Who?" He finally said out loud, interrupting the trooper who was speaking.

_*"The Codex, Madron. They-"* _Their voices faded, then became muted. All he could hear was her.

_"Your sister."_ Malinalli said. _"Kon-Mai. She's alive, and your brother too. They're here and they want you back."_

Dhar-Mon froze, but his body began to tremble against his will. He swallowed but a lump began to form in his throat, bringing with it frustration.

_"They're alive and well."_ Malinalli added. _"...They've agreed to join us."_

No. That wasn't possible. Not the Chosen. They were the Elder's children as much as he was and...he would never leave them.

_"It's true."_ Malinalli said, as though she could hear his thoughts (she most likely could). _"Your sister was first, then Gur-Rai."_

His hands were trembling as though he was freezing. Holding up a hand, he stopped the troopers. _*"Leave."*_

_*"Excuse me, Madron?"*_

_*"All of you. Get out."*_

One began to protest. _*"But Madron-"*_

A wave of his fist and the soldier disintegrated into purple dust. The rest did not need to be told twice: they scattered like birds.

Once he was alone, Dhar-Mon sank back into his chair and, with a shaky breath, asked. "...Why?"

_"I don't know."_ She replied. _"Your sister said it was for honor, the price to pay for being defeated in battle. I don't know your brother's motive, if he even has one."_

He fell quiet again, a wave of something...bitter settling over him. "...Are they well…?"

_"They are."_ Malinalli's voice was soft. _"Kon-Mai had it the worst. She tried to commit harakiri before we got to her. She's okay though. No lasting damage aside from a scar."_

Dhar-Mon felt his lips pull at the corners. "...That sounds like her. And Gur-Rai?"

_"Severed artery and shattered hip. Took him a bit but he's walking on his own again. Metal detectors are gonna bug him forever though."_ She giggled.

"What caused such an injury?"

_"He was baiting Dragunova and it ended badly."_

Dhar-Mon chuckled. "I see. It was bound to happen eventually."

_"With how much he runs his mouth? I'll say."_

Dhar-Mon felt himself about to laugh with her and forced it down.

_"We have the Hunter and the Assassin."_ Malinalli said. _"We need the Warlock, too."_

"Your quest is in vain." He growled. "I would never betray the Elders."

_"Why?"_

Dhar-Mon nearly gagged, appalled at her question. "...Because they created me. By their gifts, I live forever."

_"Did you want those gifts?"_ She asked. _"Did you want to live forever?"_

"That is a foolish question. Who wouldn't want to live forever?" He scoffed.

_"Well here's a thought. What did they take away to give you that?"_

This, Dhar-Mon could not answer.

_"Do you even know?"_ She asked.

"...Get out of my head." He growled. "And stop interrogating me."

He felt her presence leave, and was left in a silence so deafening, it stifled him.

.

.

Malinalli clasped her hands behind her back as Tygan turned the chips over in his hands.

"These are different from the Commander's chip." He noted. "Probably why removing them was so much easier."

"How so?"

He tapped the glass case that Senuna's chip sat in, like a museum exhibit. "This one was designed to go deep into the cortex, effectively cutting off signals to the brain controlling free will." He tapped Kon-Mai's chip. "This one is different. Notice how the needles are shorter and kind of blunt. It looks like they weren't meant to cut off movement as much as they were meant to transport thoughts and messages to the brain. This must be how the Elders spoke to them."

Malinalli took one of the chips. The ends were rounded instead of sharp and pointed. "It looks like a prong...or a cattle prod."

"That's essentially what it is. A glorified cattle prod." Tygan took Gur-Rai's chip and put it on the counter. "Not designed to block off any functions. However…" He tapped it in just the right way that it sparked, making the chip (and Malinalli) jump.

"A…literal cattle prod." She whimpered.

"While the Assassin and the Hunter had free will, if they did something the Elders disapproved of…" Tygan poked the chip again. "This could quickly bring them to heel."

"That's awful." She shuddered. "...Do you think they even knew?"

"I'm unable to say. While we might find it hard to ignore, we have no way of guessing how such feedback was perceived, short of experiencing it ourselves." Tygan gave her the chips back, and Malinalli cradled them much more carefully. "How has the Warlock been responding?"

"He's talking more." Malinalli said. "But I still can't get a location. I need more time."

"Time might not be something we have." Tygan frowned. "But do whatever you must."

Malinalli swallowed and nodded.

"And be careful," Tygan said. "Psionic communication can be very dangerous."

"I know, Doctor."

"Perhaps you don't." He sighed but did not elaborate. "In any case, I must return to work."

"Me too." Malinalli squeezed the chips in her hand and opened the door. "I'll check in later, Doc."

He didn't answer, already absorbed in his work.

Malinalli slowly retreated to the women's barracks, turning over the chips in her hands. Was this why they were so willing to join? After the chips were removed, and the Elders no longer spoke to them, were they finally free to decide for themselves what they wanted? Or had they always had control?

She sat on her bed in the back corner, beside Goldilocks who was taking her afternoon nap before evening training. The rest of the room was almost completely empty save for the two of them.

She wondered what the Chosen were doing.

She wondered what Dhar-Mon was doing.

_Psionic communication can be very dangerous._

Squeezing the chips in her hands, she closed her eyes.

.

.

Standing under the cold water his servants dutifully poured over him, the Warlock felt himself trembling. He had never felt such intense cold before, despite bathing in such conditions almost every night.

One of his followers was running the comb through his long hair, gently untangling it, but each pull was beginning to hurt his scalp. His muscles felt weak and his eyes were blurry.

_He needed to sleep._

Dhar-Mon waved his hand, and immediately his followers dropped their tools and left him alone within his chambers. He rose from the bath and ran his fingers through his long hair, groaning, and squeezed the white locks hard enough that his hands trembled. Something felt so, so very wrong. Everyone and everything around him was saturated and veiled in a layer of crisp anxiety. How it burned his very mind.

Sleep. He needed sleep. Then the world shall right itself.

He could no longer do without, he decided. If Malinalli came to him...well, he would burn that bridge when he came to it.

He did not bother with his dressing gown before he simply slipped under the sheets and….

.

.

Malinalli opened her eyes to the forest, green and warm. She smelled wine and fresh bread on the air, and the wind blew from the east today.

She heard Dhar-Mon grunt in frustration, only a few feet away, and couldn't help but giggle.

"Do not laugh." His voice came from behind that same tree she had left him behind when they last parted.

"I'm not." She lied, covering her mouth.

She heard him grumble, and he peered out from behind the tree to gaze at her. "I knew you would be here. You refuse to leave me be."

"This is kinda my job so…"

"Well, I hereby fire you from your job. Leave now, and never return."

She burst out laughing again. "Were you always this funny?"

"I am not jesting!" She could practically feel him blush.

Malinalli sat down across from him, her back against the tree he was behind. "It's a lovely day."

"...Indeed." He mumbled. "It reminds me of the countryside out in Vinci. I watch the people in their fields; very nice this time of year."

"Oh." She perked up.

"What?" He growled.

"I...I've always wanted to go to Italy!" She coughed. "And Spain. I'm Mexican so...it's part of my heritage."

"You have never seen this place? And yet you conjured _this_?" He chuckled. "You must be very powerful, little witch."

"I just showed up here. I don't know who controls this." She sighed. "If I did, I would give us some clothes."

"If only…" He muttered, and waved his hand. Psionic energy danced at his fingertips, but something still held him back.

"No dice?"

"No."

"That's okay. I just won't look."

They sat in silence for a moment longer.

"So you already know why I'm here…"

"And you already know my answer."

"Your sister made us promise to bring you in alive." Malinalli insisted.

"I do not believe you. My siblings do not care about me at all."

"Is...that what you think?" She asked softly.

"It is what I know. We are not a family, Malinalli. We are extensions of the Elders', nothing more."

"That's not what I saw." Malinalli scooted a bit closer. "With her and Gur-Rai-"

"Gur-Rai is a fool. And a sentimental fool, at that." Dhar-Mon scoffed. "Do not trust him, little human."

She hesitated for a moment. "I could show you…"

"There is nothing to show."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes...?"

She clenched her fists, willing the air around them to shift, unsure if this would even work. Did she have control at all?

Lo and behold, and the scene around them changed, from the bright forest to the metal walls of the Avenger.

Dhar-Mon shrank in on himself, like a frightened child. "What have you done?!"

"Look!"

He looked around. The place they were in was covered in colorful mats, a few exercise machines lying around in no particular order. On one nearby bench, there sat Gur-Rai.

He heard footsteps behind them, and turned, looking past Malinalli to the opening door, where Kon-Mai strolled in, drying her hair. Her long, curly white hair, now flowing free. He hadn't seen it down in years. She looked so beautiful with it…

"How'd it go?" Gur-Rai asked gleefully as Kon-Mai sat down across from her brother, picking up a large green band.

"Betos is slightly injured, but I saw her to the infirmary."

"You're a kind soul, Sister." He poked her. "I told you so~"

She smiled, and Dhar-Mon noticed there was no malice in those teeth. "I am not sure if she accepts me, yet."

"I'll bet you she does."

She sat behind him, and he leaned back against her chest and took hold of the rubber band, wrapping it around his foot and holding each handle in one hand.

"Press your foot down." She said gently as she held his shoulders.

"It hurts like a bitch…"

"I know. But I am here to help you…" He rested her chin on top of his bald head. "Big Brother~"

The scene quickly faded, the sunlight blinding Dhar-Mon once again.

"It's real." Malinalli whispered.

"Why?" Dhar-Mon croaked. "Why would they abandon the Elders? After all they have given them?!"

"Because the Elders are cruel." Malinalli turned around, almost facing him. "They don't care about them, Dhar-Mon. The second they fell in battle, their chips…" She sighed. "They were ready to kill them."

Dhar-Mon was silent, a lump sticking in his throat. "Not the Elders…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Leave." He could barely hold back the tears. "Leave me in peace. Please."

Malinalli hesitated a moment. "I'm sorry…" She stood. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

The dream faded away, and Dhar-Mon opened his eyes to the darkest room he'd ever seen. The loneliness was crushing him.

.

.

Malinalli slowly and quietly opened the door to the examination room. "Tygan?"

"Any time." Tygan turned to Malinalli as he hung up the phone. "You're back quickly. Did you want to report something?"

"Who were you talking to?"

"That's on a need to know basis, _Nurse_ Zúñiga." He narrowed his eyes. "Do you have something to report?"

Malinalli nodded. "I made a bit more progress."

"Do you have a location?"

"Not exactly" She shrugged. "But he's somewhere in Italy, near Vinci. He let that much slip."

"That is a tremendous help." Tygan said. "I'll deliver the news to the Commander, and tell her to set course for Italy. With any luck, we will get there with some time to spare."

"Yes…"

"And what else?" He asked. "I am a doctor, after all. You can tell me." His tone was gruff, and it made Malinalli hesitate a bit.

"...What...exactly are the risks of a psionic link?"

Tygan sighed. "...I was afraid of this."

"Of what…?"

"You want to know the dangers." Tygan powered on his monitor and turned it towards her. "Let's say two soldiers share a psionic link. Perhaps they have been through traumatic experiences together. With proper treatment it can actually be a boon to many."

"That's good."

"You would think. Now lets say that out on a mission, one soldier is laid low. Or, worse: they die." He looked over the top of his glasses. "Have you ever felt death, Malinalli? Really felt it? It can send a soldier into a panic or a coma, and in some cases, it will kill them, too."

"You think I'm susceptible to this?"

"I think you are at significant risk." He stood up. "As I said, it can be a boon...if it was anyone but the Warlock. But I do not know his mind. It might be very different from a human's brain, and if that is the case…" He put a hand on her shoulder. "I want you to return the chips."

"What…?"

"We have enough information that the covert soldiers can take it from here." Tygan held out his hand. "For your own safety, I'm taking you off the project."

"But-!" She cried, clutching the chips to her chest like they were a lifeline. "You can't! I'm so close, Tygan! I can convince him to come without a fight! No one has to die!"

"If you keep this up, Malinalli, YOU will die." The light hitting his glasses made him look nearly robotic. "He is not worth your life."

She felt a lump in her throat, her nose beginning to burn as she held back tears. "Please…"

"I'm sorry." He gestured towards her hand.

Her arms heavy, she laid down the chips in his palm. "But what if they kill him?"

Tygan did not answer.

.

.

Outside Vatican City, The Warlock found a supreme...emptiness. The grassy farmlands of Italy lay open, worked only by ADVENT's many…servants. As they neared the town of Guardia, Dhar-Mon looked out across the green hills and stopped. For a moment, the cool wind caught his hair just right, and the breeze tickled him in such a way that he felt a nearly human pang in his chest.

_*"Madron."*_

He followed his men as they called to him, reaching the town gates as they swung open against the ancient stone walls with a deafening crash. The Warlock stepped through, the light of the sun blocked by his towering form.

From the back of the congregation, he heard screams. Violent ones, like an animal being torn apart. The townspeople, instead of falling back in fear, surged forward. Some had pitchforks pointed towards him, some only had stones to throw. But they all stood their ground.

Dhar-Mon faltered, taking a step back as his priests surged forward. Their guns were pointed toward the people, barking orders in Etheric.

"They do not understand." He whispered. _*"Stand down. They do not understand your orders…"*_

_*"That is their fault, Madron."*_ His priest said. _*"They have had years to learn Etheric commands."*_

But Italian was a language they all knew. _*"You must translate to them."*_

To his dismay, his priest ignored him, as though Dhar-Mon had not spoken. Growling, he pushed the soldier aside and stepped forward, speaking in his weak, broken Italian with the most commanding voice he could.

"We are not here to harm!" He cried. "A child would know the good I do for you!"

The people jeered and booed at this, and one old woman ran forward, brandishing her crucifix. _"Vattene, Diavolo!"_

He stepped back as she ran right up to him, anger like he had never seen blazing in her eyes. "What did you say…?"

_"Vattene, Diavolo! Per il potere di Dio!"_ She was practically frothing at the mouth, her little feeble body seemed to tower over him with the power she held.

"Diavolo…?" He looked around at the anger in the eyes of the people, and felt a rush of dizziness that almost knocked him to his knees. For a moment the world was blurry and saturated, but upon it's fading, he looked down at the old woman, still screaming before him.

Dhar-Mon felt his body grow cold in horror. They looked at him as though he was a monster. He had never seen such fear in a face before.

He looked around. The rest of the people, these people he had saved, looked at him the same way. Their eyes were glistening with barely hidden tears. Some scowled at him in thinly veiled hatred. They all stood ready, waiting for him to attack. They would defend their home with tooth and nail.

"You fear me…" He said quietly.

_*"On my mark!"*_ His priest shouted.

"No! You can't!" Dhar-Mon held out his hand to stop them.

_*"Take aim!"*_

_*"Stop this at once!"*_

_*"Leave no survivors!"*_

_*"I ORDER YOU TO STOP!"*_

The sound of raining bullets silenced him, and in place of his voice, screams of dying innocents filled the air.

.

.

The Avenger was never fully asleep, but at 3 A.M. it was as quiet as it would ever be. And that was when Malinalli made her move.

She tiptoed over the cold metal floor, wearing only her fuzzy socks and nightgown. It would be a death sentence if she had to run, but this way, she would also be quiet. Maybe Kon-Mai could teach her how to be invisible…

The door to Tygan's office creaked loudly as she opened it, and she held her breath the entire time, praying to every god conceived of that no one heard her entry. A moment of hesitation later, Malinalli stepped inside.

She dared not flick the light on, lest she give herself away, so instead she felt around in the darkness for the chips. Of course they wouldn't be directly out on his desk, but she vainly hoped they were, as she pawed through the darkness.

Finding nothing, Malinalli stifled a cry as her toe slammed into the corner of a drawer. She hissed, holding her breath in a vain attempt to not scream, and fell to one knee. Holding the injured digit, she swore in English, Spanish, Zapotec, and cursed Tygan for leaving that drawer open.

Wait.

She pulled it open a bit farther, shoving her hand into the piles of medical equipment and random files that lay in disorganized heaps (he really needed someone to help him file). It was a stupid hunch but-

Her hand closed around something double-pronged and metal, and she felt just the slightest burst of electricity as she did.

Her heart jumped into her throat. There it was. _There it was_. She pulled the chip out and rooted around in the bottom of the drawer, quickly pulling out the other one as well. She clasped them to her chest, taking a deep breath as though she were breathing in a miasma. She felt high as a kite, finer than a fiddle.

She closed the drawer and slowly pulled the door open again, wincing at the creaking that was significantly louder this time. She was rushing to get back to her room, and it was making her sloppy. She could feel Tygan approaching his office again, and whether he was or not, she scurried away quickly, sliding on her fluffy socks.

.

.

Dhar-Mon opened his eyes. Back in the forest, by the same river as before. Still bare to the world, the light warming his skin.

With her back to him, there she stood. She turned to him, and he disappeared behind the same tree, but he stumbled as he did, falling to his knees. He shook frantically, his whole body as cold as it had been in the commune, the moment when…

"Dhar-Mon…?" Malinalli was trying to peer behind the tree while still giving him the privacy he desired. "What happened? Dhar-Mon, talk to me…"

"I can't…" He crawled back against the tree, hugging himself. "Please don't go…"

She gasped audibly. "...I never thought you'd say that…" She spoke up. "Dhar-Mon, what happened to you? What did they do?!"

"No." He whispered. "No. The people…" He felt his body trembling. He felt like he was breaking.

"The people?"

"Of Guardia. The people. MY people." He growled. "They are all dead. Every last one, man...woman...child…"

She sank to the ground across from him. "...They…"

"Dead. By the hands of my own priests. MY people, I promised to SAVE…" He shook his head. "I promised to bring them to the light of the Elders, but they would not let go of their dead god…"

"Dhar-Mon, you can't force people to convert to YOUR religion." Malinalli seemed to snap. "The Elders came in as _conquistadors_."

His mind lingered on that unfamiliar word. "What is that?" He asked.

"What is…?"

"That word. What is it?"

She hesitated, and from the air around them, he could tell he'd hit a nerve.

"I'm from Mexico." She said quietly. "What the Elders have done to Earth...you didn't think they were the first, did you?"

"...But the Elders-"

"We speak Etheric because they make us. We worship the Elders because the alternative is death. Their soldiers burned our churches and relics. You say they preach the truth, but so did those who came to the New World from the Old. THEY thought that the 'dead god' you speak of was the one true way to salvation." She cried. "What makes the Elders any different? Why do you think we call them _conquistadors_?"

Dhar-Mon was silent. She could feel him shaking.

"...I'm sorry." She whispered. "That...isn't helpful right now. You're hurting..."

"I am hurting, but I can still feel. I am not one of the ones who lay dead."

She didn't know what to say. "...What did you want to happen?"

"Does it matter, with the harm I have done? Does my intent have any bearing on the lives taken today?"

"You didn't want this." Malinalli said. "You're misguided, is all. You're a good person."

"I am no person. I am the Elders' Chosen."

"Yes you are, but you're also my friend."

He did not know how to answer. Dhar-Mon met Malinalli's eyes, and she held out her hand.

"Let me help you."

"Help me?"

"That's what friends do." She insisted. "Please."

He hesitated, then looked away.

"Your sister-"

"Has made her choice. It is hers to make. And now I must make mine." He curled in on himself. "And I do not want to choose."

"Do you want me to leave?" She whispered.

"I do not know…" His powerful voice seemed so small. "I wish I knew the answer."

"I...can't help you find the answer." She whispered. "But…" She reached out farther. "May I offer you a hand?"

Dhar-Mon finally looked at her. He saw her eyes as they met his. She was still behind him, and a hair's length away, staring up at him.

"I want you to come." She whispered. "Please."

"I do not care what you want…" He hesitated on each word.

"You're lying."

"Does it matter if I am?!" He shouted. "You are a human! A relic of a flawed and ugly world! And I am a child of the gods!"

Malinalli clenched her fists. "No you aren't, Dhar-Mon. You're a human too!"

Dhar-Mon physically recoiled, turning to face her head-on. "...Take your blasphemous speech elsewhere."

"You know though, don't you?" She cried. "Just like all the others, they turned you against your will! You may be blue and you may have power I can't imagine, but you're just like us, Dhar-Mon! You're just like me!"

"I can't be!" He meant to shout, but it came out like a whimper. "...I..."

He could hear her sobbing softly, and when she spoke again, her voice was hoarse. "May...I touch you?"

There was a deep, profound silence between the two. A moment where the world was nothing and empty.

"...You may."

She hadn't been expecting a yes. Looking over to him, she saw him smile for just a moment, through the tears.

He held out his hand. She laid hers in his palm.

A snap, a spark, and for a moment their minds were as one.

Then Dhar-Mon opened his eyes.

.

.

Malinalli sat on the side of her bed, staring at the chips in her hand. Her breathing was heavy and hot tears burned her eyes.

"Dhar-Mon." She wheezed.

They were so close now. She could feel his every breath, and it burned inside her chest.

.

.

Dhar-Mon appeared in the Chamber in a shower of purple light, falling to his knees. He was unusually weak. His vision had not returned to normal and as he looked around him, he saw the towering walls not as comforting, but as gates of a prison.

He shook his head. This was no time to be having these thoughts.

An indigo light appeared before him, but this day, only one Elder showed their face. His patron, his glowing light more blue than purple.

"Vox Bhandasura." Dhar-Mon knelt to the ground, bowing his head.

His patron seemed to smile but Dhar-Mon could feel the sadness radiating off of him. **"My son."**

Dhar-Mon waited expectantly for two more figures. "Where is Vox Abyzou?"

Silence, for only a moment. **"...She is mourning, Vox Camazotz is caring for her."**

Dhar-Mon felt cold. "...Still for my sister?"

**"No. I'm sorry, little one."** Bhandasura said. **"Your brother, The Hunter, has been slain."**

Dhar-Mon felt his heart sinking in his chest. Then it was true, what Malinalli said. It was true, the Elders were prepared to lie through their teeth, even to him.

_He could not trust them._

"Are you...certain, _Madron_?" He said quietly.

The air grew cold. Bhandasura's gaze bore into his son with the power of a drill. **"I am certain. I feel their presence everywhere, child, and now I feel them no more."**

Dhar-Mon couldn't fault that logic. "I see…"

A hand. Something brushed the back of his neck. He blinked, and in the instant he did, he saw his sister, poised in her meditative pose, head back and breathing deeply. She seemed to open her eyes for a moment, as though she could see him, but he saw her shift, and her head fell forward and she sank back into sleep.

He shook his head. Bhandasura stopped.

**"Do you have something to say, child?"**

Dhar-Mon looked away, still trembling. "No, _Madron_."

**"In that case, preparations must be made for your ascension when we leave this world. Abyzou may have doubted, but I always knew you would be the best to take the throne."**

He wanted to share the happiness his patron had. This was incredible news, this is what he had been born for. But he felt the cold fingers of doubt on the back of his neck again. He tried to hold open his eyes, but they seemed to close against his very will.

His brother, young Gur-Rai, was limping across the shooting range, favoring his injured leg still. His stance was off and the first shot he missed, but Dhar-Mon watched as his brother easily corrected for the injury and hit the next one dead center. He stopped then, just for a moment, and turned to look at Dhar-Mon before the picture disappeared, and Dhar-Mon opened his eyes.

**"Your siblings are dead."** Bhandasura said. **"You are our Chosen."**

_He was lying._

"You are mistaken, _Madron_." Dhar-Mon said. "My brother...he lives, as does my sister. I know they have been taken by-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before a searing pain shot up and down his back. He screamed out and crumpled to the ground, purple light crashing over him like a wave.

**"YOUR BROTHER AND SISTER ARE GONE."** Bhandasura was almost screaming. **"TO DOUBT THIS IS TO DOUBT US. ****_ME_****. WE SENSE THEIR ABSENCE."**

"But…" He cried over his pain "they...live! I know...I can save them!"

**"You are the last Chosen!"** Bhandasura brought down the hand of justice even harder, and Dhar-Mon lost feeling in his limbs as he slammed into the ground. **"Do what I ask of you! Do not question me, or there shall be no Chosen left to speak out of turn."**

The light faded, but the pain in his skull did not. Dhar-Mon lay trembling on the ground like a heap of flesh.

**"Never forget who we are."** Bhandasura said. **"Or how much we love you."**

The light disappeared as Bhandasura left, and Dhar-Mon felt his grip on reality beginning to slip through his fingers.

.

.

Malinalli's scream of pain echoed through the Avenger, jolting Kon-Mai from her deep trance.

As she opened her eyes, she heard the Commander's door slam open. A white flash passed by as Senuna sprinted down the hallway toward the barracks. Kon-Mai jumped up, stiff from lack of movement, and quickly followed after her, nearly sliding on the freshly polished floors as she stopped in front of the door to the women's bunkhouse.

Senuna vaulted over the beds to the back of the room where Malinalli was on her hands and knees on the floor. She at first seemed to be looking for something, but Kon-Mai soon saw she was trembling, from pain or fear. The Commander grabbed the girl and pulled her in close, rocking her back and forth as Malinalli blubbered.

Kon-Mai picked up her chip, which had been thrown across the room, presumably, by her nurse. As she touched it, she winced. It was burning hot.

"Sweetheart." She heard Senuna whisper. "What happened? What happened to you?"

Malinalli shook her head. "Dhar-Mon…"

"The Warlock? Did he hurt you?!"

She shook her head and looked up, locking eyes with Kon-Mai. "Dhar-Mon's in trouble…"

* * *

(Hope you all are enjoying the end of society!

I might be getting sick, hopefully it's not COVID-19 (not that I'd know because there's no tests), but next chapter might be a tad bit late, and that's why.

It's been a real challenge to get down Dhar-Mon's mental state, and the conflict he's experiencing right now, but I hope I did I good job! What do y'all think?)


	9. Mourning Has Passed

**"Bhandasura."**

The old, withered alien let his robes drop to the floor, the cold searing his frail body as the air hit his fragile skin. He turned to face the woman in the bed, glowing copper under the fluorescent lights. **"I am here, Abyzou." **

She reached out one of her long, taloned hands toward him, and he drifted closer. He knew she could see him despite their lack of eyes. He took her hand and pulled himself closer to her, hovering over her body.

**"I dreamt of them."** She whispered in his mind, her forehead in the crook of his neck. **"Our children."**

**"Which ones?"** He asked, reaching for her bony fingers. They were cold to the touch. **"You cannot sleep without your blankets, Zou."** He said as he pulled the coverings up around her body. **"You'll catch a chill again."**

**"I grow so hot at night."** She said. **"The fevers get worse and worse."**

**"Which ones did you dream of?"** He asked again, turning over to gaze at her. She was thinner than him and Camazotz, but her mind glowed deeply red with psionic power, greater than theirs combined.

**"The youngest ones."** She said. **"Vox Prima. And Vox Zagre."**

He was silent still.

**"Do you believe the rumors?"** She tossed away the covers and rose, hovering off the ground, her delicate feet never touching the floor.

**"If they were alive, we would know." **Bhandasura tried to assure her, but he could feel her getting worked up. **"Zou-"**

**"If they are alive, they wouldn't betray us, would they?"** She clasped two of her hands together, and let the others hang, fidgeting in the air. **"They would come back."**

Bhandasura was silent for a moment.

**"Because if they did…if they betrayed us…"** She fell silent, and he could hear her thoughts. She was screaming deep within her mind, screaming in fear and anger.

**"…Why would they?"** Bhandasura asked. That was a stupid question. He knew why. But Abyzou did not.

Suddenly, she turned on him. **"Vox Nergal has been disobedient!"**

**"He…has been struggling."** Bhandasura held up his hands. **"We all struggle, do we not, Zou?"**

**"Do you know who does not struggle?"** She lunged towards him, her claws out. **"The Ascended Ones, Bhanda! They do not struggle! They simply exist! They SIMPLY BE!"** She lifted her claws, clenching her fingers in open fists.

**"But ****_we_**** have not ascended, Abyzou."** He reached for her arms and pulled her close to him.

**"If Dhar-Mon turns on us…"** Abyzou said, laying her head on his shoulder **"I want you to tear him apart. Make him feel the pain his Beloved Mother feels."**

Bhandasura felt his barely beating heart grow heavy.

**"Promise me."**

"I promise." He pressed a cold, lanky hand on her bony back. _**"I love you, Abyzou."**_

He heard her giggle.

.

.

Malinalli stood in the doorway of Commander Senuna's quarters. She was still getting ready for the day, sitting on her bed in a silk nightgown, her hair back in a bun. Malinalli wondered how she managed to tie her hair so neatly when she had so much of it…

"Good morning, Molly." Senuna looked at her with glittering eyes.

"Good morning, Madam." Malinalli saluted her. "I'm sorry for intruding…"

"Nonsense! You are welcome any time!" She stood―well, practically leapt―from her bed. "Pardon my indecency!"

"It's okay…" Malinalli stepped inside. "Have you…gotten a team together for the Stronghold mission?"

"I have, actually." Senuna let her hair down, the white locks spilling over her shoulders like water. "After a…_friendly_ chat with Geist, he's agreed to lend us a couple of Templars for the mission! We're going to stop off at Carthage to pick them up, and then we'll head straight for Italy."

"Oh…" She nodded. "And…?"

"Let's see…Well, Tiwaz. After his good work on the Hunter case, he'll be there."

"And a hacker?"

"No, I want to save them for a special occasion. Besides, I think the Templars will have that old coffin of his in their clutches before the Warlock can curse my name!" She giggled. "Oh! I _will_ be sending a medic down. After what happened with Gur-Rai, well, you can never be too careful!"

"Oh…" Malinalli said again. "…Um, would you like me to be the medic unit, Madam?"

"_Absolutely not_." Senuna nearly cut her off with how quickly she whirled around. "I'm planning to send Lothar, but I would send Tygan himself down there before I put you into the line of fire."

Malinalli felt desperation, fear and a deep anger rising in her chest. "Madam…can I ask why?"

"You can ask." Senuna crossed her arms. "But I have my reasons, Malinalli."

"The Warlock and I…have a connection." Malinalli began.

"I know you do, and that's partly why you are not going." Senuna turned her back on the young nurse and began to rummage in her closet. "How can I trust that you would be safe, with your emotions clouding your judgement like that?"

"But I could get him to…we might not even need to fight him!" Malinalli protested. "If I was there, he might just leave! With us."

"We tried that with Kon-Mai and she tried to kill herself." Senuna snapped.

"Kon-Mai and I weren't bonded! She had no reason to listen to me! Dhar-Mon does!" Malinalli clasped her hands, like she was praying. "Madam, I'm begging you. Please."

"Then beg." She said. "It won't change my mind."

"What got you out of the tank?" Malinalli cried. "People who cared about you. People who were there to help. We can't go in as an invasion force." She held her arms out, and Senuna turned to look at her. "We need to go with the intent to help. And to heal."

Senuna looked Malinalli in the eyes for a moment. Her expression was unreadable, but for a moment she smiled. "…You have your heart set on this."

Malinalli nodded.

Senuna sighed, leaning her head against the closet door. "I was like you once. Heart so full of love…" She pulled her white cloak out and smoothed it down. "…I will put you on the mission. But. If you are injured…" She raised a brow. "The Warlock will be the one fearing my wrath."

"I'll be extra, extra careful, Madam!" Malinalli bowed. "Thank you! Thank you so so-!"

"That's enough." Senuna giggled. "Now, go get ready. You're deploying soon."

As Malinalli ran off, Senuna watched her with tears in her eyes.

.

.

Dhar-Mon opened his eyes, his head clouded and his skin still burning. He pressed a hand to his forehead, unable to tell if he was actually feverish or if that was just the warmth of his own body.

He rose to his feet, his attendants hanging outside his door, waiting for him, but always keeping him at arm's length. Dhar-Mon tried to disguise the pain in his body, how much he wanted to crumble as he walked, but each step he took made his limp more pronounced.

How desperately he wished for _her_ touch, the warmth of the palm of her hand. He closed his eyes and put a hand over his chest. Dhar-Mon could feel each breath she took. The blood in her veins. The fire in her soul. Even now their heartbeats were as one.

"Malinalli." He whispered, waiting for the universe to carry his call to her.

_"Dhar-Mon!"_ He could hear her excited voice as though she was standing beside him.

He smiled. "…Are you well?"

_"Oh, yeah! I'm feeling great!"_ She hesitated. _"…XCOM is coming."_

"I know."

_"And…I'm coming with them."_

He gasped. "…You? You're coming here?"

_"Yeah, the Commander is letting me come along!"_ She sounded almost scared.

"…You know my Stronghold?"

_"Uh, well.."_ She coughed. _"…It's in Italy."_

He sighed. "You have much to learn, little phantom. How will you find me?"

_"Well I figure Italy isn't that big so…just pick a direction and fly. If you see water, you've gone too far."_

He chuckled. "Do you know the City of Vatican Hill?"

_"Vatican City? You live in Vatican City?!"_

"Yes. The Apostolic Palace is the center of my stronghold."

_"I…You live in the Vatican?!"_ He could hear her laughing.

"What is funny about this? It is a great palace with many defensible-"

_"No, no, it's not funny, just…"_ She giggled again _"that's so cool."_

"…I see." He hoped she couldn't feel him blushing. Or smiling. "When shall I expect you?"

_"In half a day. We're stopping by the Templars first."_

He growled. "They are accompanying you…?"

_"I know you don't like them."_ She sounded sympathetic _"but the Commander insisted and…"_

"It is fine." He sighed. "Their presence is irrelevant, either way."

_"In that case, I'll…see you in a bit?"_

"Yes." He smiled. "It will be nice to speak face to face."

_"Agreed!"_

He felt her presence leave him, and thus straightened himself up and called his priests into the room.

_*"At the 18th hour of the eve, bring the townspeople to the courtyard."* _He said. _*"Tell them I have a message for them of great importance. About the future. And the Elders."*_

.

.

"Is Geist angry?" Malinalli said, leaning over to Tiwaz. The two followed the Commander down the ramp, trailing behind her as she stepped off the Skyranger and approached Geist with a smile. Geist, in contrast, stared at her with a look more bitter than bile.

"When is Geist NOT angry?" Tiwaz chuckled.

"I heard he meditates."

"Maybe he needs to do it more." Tiwaz straightened up as Senuna looked back at them.

"These are two of my best." She smiled warmly. "Zachary 'Tiwaz' Clotilde, and Malinalli Zúñiga."

Geist barely acknowledged them, and from the glint in Senuna's eye, Malinalli wondered just what the Commander had said to Geist to get him to agree to the mission.

He gestured behind him, and three feminine figures stepped forward. "These three are the finest family I have to offer. The Harbingers of Dawn and Rebirth. Our Shieldmaidens."

"Harbingers of Dawn." Senuna looked thoroughly impressed as she gazed upon the three women. "What are your names?"

The first one who stepped forward had hair like obsidian, tied back tight behind her head in several looping braids, and skin the color of the deepest earth. A dark silver crown adorned her forehead, denoted with blue gems that matched with the intricate face paint she wore around her eyes. Her Templar robes looked ornate: black leather and deep blue silk

"I am Lawahiz Ahmad." She said. "You will refer to me as Iabet. I am the head of the family of Harbingers." She gestured to the girl beside her. "This is Saibh Ó Heidhin, but our name for her is Siv."

The girl they saw beside her looked no older than 17, and her amber eyes were illuminated with a fire only matched by the blazing auburn color of her hair, which clashed against her pale skin. They could only see her face briefly though, as it was covered by the bright yellow hood of her Templar cloak. She looked up at them with annoyance, and seemed to roll her eyes. The woman on her left nudged her and said something in…Latin? Siv only grumbled.

"And finally…" Iabet's eyes lit up with love as she looked at the last woman. "This is Luana Tornicasa. Tornike."

The woman pulled down her purple hood and…took the XCOM soldiers by surprise. Despite her olive-tanned skin, she had bleached blonde hair that hung to her shoulders and thick, plump lips painted conspicuously purple. Beside the other Templars, she looked like a Barbie doll. But the look they saw in her soft, cold blue eyes as they gazed into them, told both Malinalli and Tiwaz that Tornike was not a woman to be fucked with.

"They are perfect!" Senuna clasped her hands together. "Are you three ready for an adventure?"

Geist turned to the three women. "You will be hunting the Warlock."

Siv's eyes lit up, only for her smile to fall as Senuna spoke up. "He is to be brought in alive if possible."

"Why?" Iabet demanded. "We have no respect for that monster."

"He's not a monster-" Malinalli began to say, but Tiwaz quickly shushed her.

"I know this is quite hard." Senuna smiled, a gleam in her eyes. "You all have been victimized by him more than once-"

"He has KILLED people!" Siv screamed.

"Well, I mean, haven't we all?"

Siv pulled her hood down slightly so they could see her scowl. "If I should _ever_ see him, it will be when he is writhing in agony at the tip of my blade!"

_"Habe tus lingua!"_ Tornike lightly struck Siv on the back of the head. _"Tu sic despiciens censenda est la Comandante."_

Malinalli strained her ears, barely making out the garbled, almost-Latin that Tornike spoke. Granted, Malinalli didn't speak Latin herself, but she was also pretty sure "la Comandante" was Spanish.

Tornike looked to Iabet. "Perhaps, _mia moglie_, the Commander's wishes would be wise to fulfill. After all, should we kill him, he will never have a chance to answer for his crimes." She smiled. "Maybe a hundred years in a cell is a far more fitting punishment than immediate death."

Malinalli wanted to protest, but this time she was smart, and kept her mouth shut.

Iabet thought for a moment. "…You are right more often than not, _habibti_." She smiled. "If the Commander wills him to be captured alive, then I shall oblige." She glared at Malinalli. "But my attacks shall not be gentle, and if he comes toward me, I will defend myself."

Malinalli looked away and Senuna cheered, oblivious to her discomfort.

"Amazing!" Senuna stepped aside and gestured to the Skyranger. "Well, all aboard! Next stop, Vatican City!"

.

.

The Warlock stood still as his servants cloaked him in his ceremonial robes. They were simple: a deep, royal purple color with silver embroidery in Etheric words and symbols around the cuff of the sleeves, and hem of the robe. Underneath he wore only his black, mesh undersuit, fastening everything with a silver belt.

He looked down at his servants and, for the first time perhaps, noticed their faces. They may have been human once, but the scales on their cheekbones and their lizard-like eyes told him they had been taken long ago. Their sharp claws grazed his arm, and he turned to look one woman in the eye. She was beautiful once, but now her skin was scaly, causing her hair to clump and thin.

_*"What is your name?"*_

She looked up at him in shock.

_"What is your name?"_ He repeated, this time in Italian.

She hesitated, but perhaps it was the sincerity in his voice that set her at ease enough for her to mutter, softly, "Oinone."

He held a hand to her chin and lifted it so his eyes met hers. _"Hide your gaze no more, Oinone. Today is a sea change."_

He stepped out of his quarters, where his priests were waiting at attention. _*"We have summoned them, Madron."*_

_*"Excellent. Make sure no one is left behind."*_ He looked at each and every one of them. _*"This is a message for all."*_

.

.

Kon-Mai's eyes followed Gur-Rai as he spun in the swivel chair at the edge of the room. Every time she tried to close her eyes, that god-awful squeaking would distract her and catapult her right back into conscious thought.

She got up from her lotus pose. "Will you stop that?"

"You should try it, Sister." Gur-Rai dragged his foot along the ground to slow himself. "It's very relaxing."

"No, thank you." She growled and leaned her shoulder against the window, staring out at the orange-painted clouds.

"What troubles you?" He asked.

"Have you heard? They are taking three Templars." She growled. "Three."

"Our brother is quite a beast." Gur-Rai lifted his arms in an exaggerated shrug. "They'll need it."

"What if they kill him?"

"They have a job to do. If he dies, he dies."

Kon-Mai turned on her brother faster than he could blink. "How dare you?"

"You've seen the two of us, Kon-Mai." Gur-Rai growled. "We were never best buddies, and I'm certain he'd be better to see me hung at the gallows now that I've abandoned his precious cause."

"He is our brother." She insisted.

"Then perhaps he should have acted like it."

"You speak for yourself, Brother." She snarled. "He could be cruel, but he could be kind had you only taken the time to see it. Instead you purposefully antagonized him, knowing you would earn his wrath!"

"Ah yes, I wanted to be psionically mindfucked by discount Thanos." Gur-Rai sneered. "That is the only possible explanation. Not that he was a raging dickbag. No, he was never wrong. I'm the bad guy, like _fucking always_."

"Did I say that? Did I say he was _never_ wrong in his actions?!" Kon-Mai took a step towards him. "No, you twist my words, Gur-Rai. Our brother is wrong on many things and absolutely moronic in the concept of others. But _I _gave him a chance."

"And you think I didn't?!" Gur-Rai hissed, baring his teeth like a cat. Kon-Mai actually startled, backing up against the window at this show of aggression.

"…I did not see it."

"Because you weren't born yet, sister. I tried to buddy up with him but he rebuffed me each time. He didn't WANT us there, Sister, we were rivals. Rivals for the Elders' affection, if that's what you could even call it. He wanted it all to himself. In fact before you came out of the tank, he _resented _you."

Kon-Mai stared at the ground.

"He doesn't want you to protect him like a mother hen. At this point, I'm sure he'd shoot down the Avenger himself if he knew we were on it." Gur-Rai took a breath, shaking out his muscles to try and force them to relax. "He hates me, Sister. I tried. That's just how it is…"

"…I apologize." Kon-Mai closed her eyes. "I wasn't aware you felt that way."

"Nah…" He crossed his arms. "…Sorry if I scared you." He mumbled, his voice barely audible.

She met his gaze again. "In any case, the Commander has assured me she will try and bring him back alive. I trust you, Gur-Rai, that you are telling the truth about his actions." She approached him again, but this time slowly and gingerly. "But if he should arrive at our ship still living, perhaps you will consider giving him a second chance?"

Gur-Rai's upper lip twitched in a scowl.

"Brother." She took his hand. "You are my family, and so is he."

"Sometimes I wonder how we're related."

"Gur-Rai." The way she looked at him immediately shut him up. "Have we not _all_ suffered at _their _hands…?"

He blinked, turning to Kon-Mai with a look of disbelief. "…Never thought I'd hear you say that."

She reached back, gingerly touching the skin on her shoulders. "…Do you think I enjoyed their punishments?"

He could have cracked a joke about that being kinky but…it had hit a nerve. He looked away. "I was in too much pain of my own to really think about it."

"We have all been hurt." She whispered. "But I do not want us to hurt anymore. Perhaps, with XCOM, we could finally be a family."

He sighed, cringing at the thought but…she had that look in her eyes. Lil' bitch could make herself look like a kicked puppy when she wanted to.

Gur-Rai nodded. "Fine."

She smiled. "I knew I was right to have faith in you."

"Sister." He said as she let go of his hand. "With everything we three have been through, why do you insist on treating us like your little ducklings?"

Kon-Mai paused, examining the question in her head. It seemed to have struck a nerve, because a look of great discomfort twisted her face for just a moment.

Then she shook it off. "Because someone needs to keep you two in check, and it certainly won't be Dhar-Mon."

.

.

Malinalli looked out the window of the Skyranger. The rolling green hills creeping up on them felt so familiar, it was as though she'd walked them herself, even if she'd never been to Italy in her life.

"Pretty, huh?" Firebrand mused.

"It's beautiful." Malinalli blinked. "It reminds me of Oaxaca…"

"Then I think you'll like it here." Firebrand gestured to her. "Okay, pretend I have no idea where I'm going, because I don't."

"You don't have a GPS?"

"I do, but I turned her off because she's a cunt." Firebrand winked at Malinalli from inside her helmet. "I'm told we headed for Rome?"

Malinalli focused on the ground below her, then at the skyline. "…Keep heading north, then about 20 degrees west once you reach that one big hill."

Firebrand held the chopper steady, looking back at her passengers. "How y'all doin' back there?"

"Fine!" Tiwaz called.

"Not fine!" Siv shouted. "This soldier is a moron! Why did we have to bring _him_?!"

"Tiwaz is good at his job." Malinalli assured her. "He helped neutralize the Hunter."

"Plus, I play a warlock in Dungeons and Dragons, so I have inside knowledge of our target." Tiwaz said, partially joking. But only partially.

"See that big white thing there?" Malinalli pointed to the west.

"Yeah, the big tower?"

"Yes!" Malinalli put her hand over her heart. "Head for the palace!"

"Vatican City. Of course it is." Firebrand laughed. "We shoulda fuckin' known all along, really! Ain't he known to be a drama queen?"

"Oh absolutely." Iabet stood, her seat belt clinking as it fell loose. "You can drop us off here."

"Pardon?"

"I said here, outside the gates." She pointed to Malinalli. "Stay at the back, Medic. WE shall handle the Warlock."

Something told Malinalli that arguing would put her in a bad situation. However, much she wanted to protest, she forced herself to swallow her nerves as she nodded.

The Skyranger's doors opened up and five cables descended.

"Good luck, ladies!" Firebrand called as the soldiers began to drop.

.

.

The city was silent.

He noticed, as he went to the balcony and looked out, that the subjects were beginning to gather in his walls, milling about, whispering, waiting.

_Waiting for what?_

Two of his priests came up behind him. _*"Should we sweep the streets again, Madron?"*_

_*"No."*_ He held a hand up. _*"Give them time, they will come of their own accord."*_

_*"And if they do not come?"*_

Dhar-Mon sighed. _*"…It matters not. They shall hear my message either way."*_ He looked down, and the people began to kneel, looking up at him like a god.

No. Not a god. Their fear was apparent.

He was the monster in their home.

.

.

They raced up the empty street, Malinalli huffing just to keep up with the much more in-shape Templars. They were like machines, not stopping for any interference.

"Where are all the people?" Tiwaz asked, his grenade launcher thumping against his back.

"Perhaps they are smart, and stayed in their homes." Iabet mused. "As long as they aren't in our way, it's not our problem."

Malinalli stumbled slightly, almost falling, but she righted herself in time to hear that distorted voice screaming in Etheric for them to stop.

A coalition of ADVENT troopers held out their hands to stop them. Tornike pushed to the front and decapitated the first one. Before Tiwaz could even think of launching a grenade, Siv had moved in and skewered one more, sending him and Iabet was locked in fisticuffs with the third. With a glowing punch, her hand went through his chest, and he dropped to the ground.

"Mám!" Siv cried out, as one priest she had slashed came out of a stasis bubble, and was now on top of her. Iabet turned but, losing attention on the one she was fighting, was struck with a blow to her shoulder that made her stumble.

Tornike, though, jumped in to rescue Siv, who was on the ground kicking up at the priest as they tried to beat her with the but of their rifle. They flipped it over and shot just as Tornike pulled her shield and redirected the blast, before slamming into the priest head-on. They stumbled backward into a lamp post, and Tornike took the priest's head and slammed it into the wall until they fell limp.

"Thank you, Mamí." Siv said to Tornike as she stood. "We're going the right way."

"How do you know?" Malinalli put her hands on her knees, coughing.

"I play video games. Where there are enemies, that's where we're supposed to go."

They turned down a nearby side street, running alongside the warm stone walls, when then all of a sudden Iabet halted and hushed them. Tornike cursed in Vulgar Latin and Tiwaz blew a whistle.

"That's a lot of people!"

Malinalli poked her head out from around them and gasped. The Vatican's courtyard was absolutely packed with people. She could hardly see over their heads, but was able to faintly make out the armor of ADVENT priests stalking on either side of the ring.

"…That way." She whispered. "That's where we need to go."

"Hey." Tiwaz hissed to Iabet. "Malinalli needs to get closer."

"Absolutely not. We are going another way." She turned around. "Come."

"You don't understand…" Malinalli wrung her hands. "I think I'm supposed to-"

"Medic, stop being ridiculous and follow me." Iabet snapped.

Malinalli watched as the three Templars walked back down the path they came, then looked up at Tiwaz.

"I have to get in there."

"How come?" Tiwaz looked down at her. "We're going to get to him either way."

"I think he's trying to show me something." She said. "I can feel him."

"Your mind-bond thing?"

"Yeah…"

He smiled, pulling up the hood on his jacket. "I've always wanted to do a covert mission!"

She smiled and pulled at her braided bun, letting her black curls fall down over her sigil. "Follow me."

They hugged the wall, looking for an opening into the crowd as the ADVENT soldiers drew closer. One old woman shifted slightly, and Malinalli wedged herself into the opening, pulling Tiwaz through with her. They stumbled for a moment, but the tightness of the crowd kept them from falling over.

Someone shouted something in Italian, and they looked up to the balcony and she gasped. "It's him!"

Tiwaz looked up, squinting. "I can barely see him."

"I need to get closer!" She looked around, but no other opening presented themselves. The Warlock stood there, in silence. Like he was waiting for something.

_Or someone._

"I got it." Tiwaz crouched down. "Get on my shoulders."

"What?!"

"Get. On. My. Shoulders."

"No…we'll be spotted, I can probably…if the crowd would just-"

"Get on my shoulders, you fucking shortstack!"

Malinalli laughed, then she complied, climbing up and sitting with her legs on Tiwaz's shoulders. He stood up and she wobbled a bit, but once she steadied herself, she looked up and raised her arms.

"DHAR-MON!"

.

.

Dhar-Mon felt his body shudder. That voice, he knew it. He knew it was her. But this time it sounded so close…

He looked down. There she was, those bright blue, sometimes green eyes staring up at him from within the mass of people. Far at the back, but he could see her clear as day.

He saw her smile, then she covered her mouth. "DHAR-MON! I'M HERE!"

Dhar-Mon smiled. This was it.

_"Citizens of Rome."_ He bellowed, his voice hard and loud. His priests looked at him in mild surprise as he stumbled through the speech in Italian, rather than Etheric. _"You will recall the events of these past days. It has been difficult for you. For your families. For me. Many have died, and they did not have to." _He raised his arms. _"This bloodshed could have been prevented."_

All eyes were on him. Dhar-Mon was shaking so much he felt his knees would buckle. He could no longer stop the tears as they began to flow. _"It hurts to know what has happened to the people of this beautiful land, this beautiful planet, under the care of the Elders."_ He looked around. _"And it becomes ever clearer to me, you are not happy as things are."_

Murmuring. People began to raise their voices in fear, but he held up a hand.

_"But there is no need for tears anymore. The time for mourning has passed."_ He raised a hand and wiped the water from his cheeks. _"And now is the time for blood. The time for retribution, for judgement."_ He clenched his fist. _"By my honor, I judge ADVENT and the Elders GUILTY of MURDER, GENOCIDE, AND HERESY! AND BY MY HAND, THEY SHALL SUFFER THEIR PUNISHMENT!"_

His priests, utterly stunned, were completely unprepared as he lunged for them. He grabbed the nearest priest by the neck and tossed him back through the double doors, across the hall, where he slammed into a wall with an audible crunch. The other one couldn't even react before their head was slammed into the balcony rim. They tried to raise their weapon to defend, but Dhar-Mon slammed them down again, lifted them up, and flung them from the balcony into the crowd of people who were now screaming in confusion and excitement.

Malinalli was cheering, and the commotion knocked her down from Tiwaz's shoulders and she came rolling to a stop, picking herself up and sprinting into the crowd. "DHAR-MON!"

He met her eyes, and she his. They were deep purple and bright as the moon.

She held out her hand, up toward the palace. He stared down at her. She blinked up at him.

_"Malinalli."_ She heard his voice in her head. _"Come to the Basilica of Saint Peter, to the Altar of Gold. I shall meet you there, and there I shall leave this place. With you."_

Malinalli covered her mouth, and for a moment she dissolved into a flood of emotions. "OKAY!" She coughed and closed her eyes, shaking uncontrollably. _"Okay, Dhar-Mon! I'm coming!"_ She took off through the sea of people, and he too sprinted down the palace hallway.

_"I'm coming!"_

_"I'm coming."_

.

.

His soldiers were, at first, no trouble. They still bowed when they saw him. Soon, though, the alarm was raised, and his soldiers began to do what they had been programmed to from the start.

They were not there to keep others out. They were there to keep him _in_.

Most were no trouble, and even more still surrendered to his might, but Dhar-Mon was not a stealthy man, and clomping through the palace was not helping him achieve his goal of getting to the Basilica quickly. As he turned a corner into one of the antechambers, three priests emerged, guns drawn.

_*"Stand down, Madron."*_ One said. _*"We do not wish to hurt you, but if prompted to, we will."*_

He growled. _*"As your Chosen I order you: let me pass!"*_

A couple of them faltered, but the one who had spoken stood their ground.

_*"You are not yourself."*_ They said. _*"We cannot call you our Chosen."*_

_*"I am not the same, no."*_ He said. _*"I have been enlightened to the crimes the Elders have committed."*_

_*"You are brainwashed, Madron."*_ His priests raised their guns. _*"The humans have brainwashed you."*_

_*"No. The humans have opened my eyes. We have all suffered under the tyranny of the Elders. And I shall remind you as such."*_ He raised his hands, and-

Cried out in pain. They had fired. Fired their guns. On him! He fell to his knees, gasping. That bullet must have hit his rib…

_*"Destroy the sarcophagus."*_ One priest said to another. _*"If he dies he shall merely regenerate. We cannot let that-"*_

_*"Stop!"*_ One of them cried.

The three priests turned as the Warlock disappeared out the door.

.

.

The front of the Basilica was already swarming with troops. Tiwaz loaded a grenade in his grenade launcher, and Malinalli stepped behind him as they began to close in on the two.

"By order of the Elders, stand down."

"Eat shit." Tiwaz said. "You have no power here."

"We will not hesitate to use lethal force."

Malinalli looked around, desperate for a way through, but the wall of priests was impenetrable. She could not fail Dhar-Mon now, not after coming so far.

She heard footsteps behind her and raised her hands. She could barely use her psionics in a fight, but she'd fight with bare fists and teeth if she had to.

Then a voice behind her said "Duck."

She did, and so did Tiwaz, right as a storm of purple lightning descended from the sky, striking down upon the bodies of the priests who stood in their way. A few evaded the storm by ducking just as they had, but many others were fried, screaming as their flesh burned.

Tornike fell to her knees beside Malinalli, who jumped to her aid as Siv dashed past them, yellow blades of psionic energy glued to her fists and a battle cry on her lips.

"I am alright." Tornike insisted.

"Let me get a stim…" Malinalli got out her adrenaline pen but Tornike held up her hand.

"I said I am alright." She smiled. "Go to him, _saghirti_."

Malinalli stood up, just as Iabet appeared from the dust and clouds, blades of energy in her fists and a smile on her lips.

"On my mark…" Iabet raised her first. "…NOW!"

Siv launched at those priests like a bat out of Hell, shrieking like a banshee as she locked her sword with the gun of the one closest to her. They pushed back against her, but were distracted by the clunk of a grenade falling behind the platoon. As it exploded, Siv jumped back and glared at Tiwaz.

"Sorry!" Tiwaz cried.

Iabet jumped into the fray and cut down the priests that were beginning to move in on their position. Malinalli began to stand up, until the ground began to shake and she dropped into a crouch to keep from falling over. A pink light filled the windows of the Apostolic Palace and Malinalli gasped.

.

.

Dhar-Mon fell to his knees, stumbling down the hall. A blinding flash of pain caught him only for a moment, and then…

"The Elders." He said out loud. "They are…silent…"

He closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind. "Malinalli…"

_"I'm here!"_ Her voice was clear as crystal.

"They have destroyed my sarcophagus." He said.

He heard her gasp. _"We have a chopper! I'll get you out, I promise!"_

"I am coming." He got to his feet slowly.

_"You're injured…"_

He forgot, she could feel that pain… "It is only a flesh wound. I will be fine."

_"I'll call in Firebrand!"_ She insisted. _"…Dhar-Mon, how close are you?"_

"I am on the second floor, one more flight and I shall-"

_"I'm coming in!"_ She cried.

He smiled.

.

.

Malinalli got to her feet. "Tiwaz." She said loudly. "I'm going inside!"

"No!" Iabet cried. "Medic, let us make it safe first!"

Malinalli ignored her. "I need someone to cover me!"

"Medic, I will stop you!" Iabet, snapped as she turned her attention to the priest who had put one of the others into stasis. She slashed at them, but they kept jumping back and evading her blades.

"You look a bit busy!" Tiwaz cried as he lifted his gun to his hip. "Go ahead, Molly! I got you covered!"

She smiled at him, took a deep breath, and pushed off. She sprinted faster than she thought she ever could, jumping and weaving in between soldiers and priests who tried to jump in her way. One reached out to grab her, she ducked under their arms. Another fired on her and she dove to the ground, sliding briefly like a damn penguin, and then the soldier was quickly reduced to shrapnel as Tiwaz lobbed a grenade at them.

Finally, her hand touched those ancient metal doors. She was so small that, initially when she slammed against them, she bounced right off. The doors seemed sealed.

"No, no no no…" She put her hand to the doors. "I didn't come this far to be stopped by you!" She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips against the door, and shoved.

.

.

Dhar-Mon pushed through the wall of soldiers blocking him. One of them fired, but the bullets flew into the air, only grazing his cheek, leaving a deep cut, but he disregarded them and fled to the stairwell, bullets hitting the wall behind him.

He was panting, but not from exhaustion. He had never felt this free before, this alive. It felt like he was being called toward her.

Finally, he came to the marble corridor that led to the altar of St. Peter's Basilica.

.

.

By herself, the door budged, but only slightly. Malinalli's brow was dotted in sweat as she tried to shove the door open, becoming more and more panicked with each passing second.

Then, she felt another shoulder up against the door, and the metal gave way.

Tiwaz smiled as the door swung open. "Go get him, Tiger!"

She laughed, mumbling a thank you as she dashed down the aisle, just as the tiny door on the left side burst open, and the Warlock came stumbling out, stopping just in front of that giant golden altar.

They locked eyes, Malinalli behind a row of pews with the sun at her back, Dhar-Mon framed with the ancient sculpted artwork of humans long dead.

"…Malinalli…"

She smiled. "Dhar-Mon…"

Their eyes met, and here they were. In person, for the first time. She was even more beautiful than in his dreams, and she was floored by just how elegant he looked, without the fancy psionics. When he was just Dhar-Mon.

He took a step towards her. "I am so glad…to finally meet you…"

She smiled, tears pouring down her cheeks. She could hear Iabet screaming at her as the Templars ran up the stairs just behind her, but the sound of their raucous didn't matter.

Malinalli held out her hand. "Come with me."

Dhar-Mon took another step forward and stopped.

"Dhar-Mon?"

He brought a hand to his head, staggering back a bit. "Malinalli…"

"Dhar-Mon." She could feel her heart racing, and something blooming in the center of her forehead. "What's-" Then her mind erupted in fire, and she bellowed in agony.

Dhar-Mon doubled over, crying out in pain. Behind her, Malinalli heard Iabet scream, and the room was lit up with a flash of blue.

**"I never expected this from you."** A deep, bone-shattering voice said behind her as she stumbled forward, crashing into the pews. Malinalli felt a chill, and definitely did not want to turn around. But she did.

She knew it wasn't really…them. It was an illusion. But she could feel the immense psionic power radiating off this being, like this creature was everything in the universe all at once.

And it wanted to kill them. And it _could_.

She turned back as she heard Dhar-Mon whimper. He was barely standing now, leaning against the altar in an attempt to remain standing. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth and immediately gagged violently, and Malinalli saw a spray of blood explode from behind his palm. He fell to his knees, blood dribbling from his eyes, nose, mouth and down his chin.

"Dhar-Mon!"

Dhar-Mon coughed violently, vomiting up a torrent of thick, viscous red fluid. He tried to stand again, but his limbs were as weak as dry twigs, and his skin was like glass, ready to break at any moment.

He looked up at her, his eyes wide with horror. "Mali…"

Then his eyes rolled back and he slumped, motionless, against the altar.

**"You are a failure."** The Elder behind her said, as it left in a flash of dark blue. **"The Chosen are no more."**

Malinalli could hear screaming, but was unsure if it was her own voice or someone else's voice. She literally leapt over the pews, crawling across the floor to get to him. Despite him being twice her size, she lifted him in her arms and reached around to the back of his head, searching for the chip she knew was killing him.

"SOMEBODY HELP HIM!" She screamed. "CALL THE SKYRANGER!"

"Iabet to Avenger, we need immediate evacuation!" The Templar called over the comm. "The Chosen is…"

Malinalli's fingers grasped the chip, and with a resounding snap, she yanked it from his skull. He spasmed briefly before falling limp.

"Nonononono!" She pressed her hands to his face. "No please, please Dhar-Mon! Stay with me! Stay with me!"

_Stay with me…_

_Stay… _

* * *

(Hello all. Hope quarantine is going well for you. As of now I'm starting to feel better, so next chapter should be out on Wednesday as per the schedule.)


	10. The Gods Have Murdered Him

Something was wrong.

Kon-Mai stood, that same wave of anxiety she felt before Gur-Rai's arrival suddenly consuming her. Her brother opened his eyes and leapt off his swivel chair as well.

"You feel that?"

She nodded.

Out the window, Gur-Rai saw the Skyranger approaching the Avenger. "I think something happened." He muttered.

Kon-Mai opened the door and peeked out into the hall, watching as a medical team disappeared behind the corner. Then there was shouting.

The two took a moment to meet each other's gazes, and a look of realization passed between them. They sprinted for the door.

Gur-Rai beat her to the punch, pushing past her as they sprinted out the door and down the hall. Despite his bad leg, he kept pace with his sister as they rounded a corner and slid into the garage. The wind from the open door buffeted them, and they held up their hands to protect their faces.

"What is happening?!" Kon-Mai cried, but it fell on deaf ears. The team of six or seven medics were surrounding the stretcher, blocking any view. As she got closer, she saw flashes of blue skin and red blood. Her skin prickled.

"Where is Malinalli?" She muttered, looking around for the familiar medic. Gur-Rai jogged past her up to the door of the Skyranger.

"Found her!" He leapt inside. "What the fuck happened in here?!"

Kon-Mai followed him in, and nearly reeled at the sight. The inside of the Skyranger looked like the scene of a violent murder. Blood was everywhere, coating the floor, the walls, it was sprayed on the ceiling and in the middle of it all, Malinalli sat, shaking.

Gur-Rai grabbed her shoulders. "Hey. Wakey wakey." He shook her a bit.

Malinalli seemed to barely register his presence, and Kon-Mai moved in and pushed him away. "Malinalli, what has happened?" She asked. "What has become of Dhar-Mon?"

That name snapped her back to attention. Malinalli broke into a sob, clutching her head.

"He's gone!" She screamed. "I CAN'T FEEL HIM ANYMORE! HE'S GONE!"

Kon-Mai heard wheels turning, and ran back outside as the stretcher began to move. Gur-Rai was following her, dragging Malinalli by the hand as she sputtered and cried and protested. Ducking under the door frame and following the stretcher close behind, Kon-Mai just barely saw her eldest brother. His form was just a blur amid the team of people surrounding his body. But she did see blood. So much blood.

"Is he…?" She slowed briefly, allowing Gur-Rai and Malinalli to catch up to her.

"By a black hole…" Gur-Rai covered his mouth. "What did they do to him?"

They jogged after the stretcher, Gur-Rai beginning to favor his leg but still easily keeping time with Kon-Mai, watching as Dhar-Mon was wheeled into the operating room occupied by Gur-Rai just a few short weeks ago.

"Someone get me vitals." She heard Tygan say.

"Negative on the heart rate!"

Gur-Rai looked at Kon-Mai, and she covered her mouth with one hand, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.

"Start CPR!" Tygan cried, rushing around the table and grabbing the huge, white defibrillator machine.

"He's bleeding in his brain!" Malinalli said. "I tried to pull the chip! I tried!"

"Severe cranial aneurysm." Tygan muttered, as though to himself. He grabbed the pads off the defibrillator and began pressing buttons and turned the large white knob on the side. "Standby."

"Ready." One nurse said.

Tygan pressed the pads to Dhar-Mon's chest. "Clear."

There was a buzz, and Kon-Mai saw her brother's body jolt on the table. Nothing else.

"Negative."

"Standby."

"Ready, Doc."

"Clear." Another zap. Another jolt. Her brother fell again, lifeless.

"Negative." The nurses sounded worried, and Malinall's sobs echoed through the hall.

"Standby." Tygan said again.

"Ready."

"Clear!" Another zap. "Damn it!"

"I need to go in." Malinalli pushed past the Chosen. "I need to save him!"

"You stay here." Gur-Rai caught her by the collar.

"I can't feel his mind!" She screeched, clawing at Gur-Rai's hand. "I need to feel his mind! It's empty! IT'S EMPTY AND I CAN SAVE HIM!"

The door to the operating room closed swiftly. From the little window in the door, Kon-Mai saw them zap her brother again. Nothing.

"Please!" Malinalli tried to yank herself away. Gur-Rai tugged back hard enough that she fell to her knees, and then she tried crawling towards the door. "LET ME IN, YOU BASTARD! I WANT DHAR-MON BACK!"

Over her cries and screams and the scratching at the door, Kon-Mai heard footsteps. Commander Senuna and Central Bradford came dashing down the hall, Bradford significantly more out of breath.

"What in the fucking hell just happened?!" He yelled, while Senuna went right to Malinalli and shoved Gur-Rai away from her. Kon-Mai could only shake her head.

"Dhar-Mon had an oopsie, apparently." Gur-Rai's words were jovial but his tone was grim. "...Commander. He's not breathing."

Senuna's face was grave, but calm. She took Malinalli by the arm and helped her to her feet. "Molly…"

"It's my fault!" Malinalli wailed. "The Elders are killing him and it's all my fault! I told him to surrender and it's all-"

"Shhhh." Senuna put a finger to the nurse's lips. "Everything will be okay. Are you hurt at all?"

"I'm not important! It's hi-"

"Don't you dare." Senuna snapped. "Do you feel any pain? Anything from him at all?!"

Malinalli shook her head, her lip quivering.

"...Then the psionic link is broken." She sighed. "Stay here, sweetheart. There is nothing you can do for him now." The Commander stepped up to the door and twisted the knob, and it swung open with ease. She darted inside, Tygan screaming at her as the door closed behind her.

"Commander, wait, you can't be-" Tygan's voice was muffled and cut off mid sentence.

"_ALL OF YOU STAND BACK!_" Senuna's voice permeated the entire Avenger.

There was a loud commotion, then the lights around them flickered. One of the nurses screamed as the room lit up inside with blue energy, and the sound of a loud zap. Silence for a moment.

Then the lights came back on. "We have a heartbeat!" Tygan screamed.

Kon-Mai felt herself physically unwind, letting out the breath she didn't know she was holding. Bradford turned to her and her brother. "He's in good hands now."

"What will happen to him?" Kon-Mai asked.

"I can't answer that, Assassin, 'cause I have no idea." He looked at Malinalli. "You okay?"

"What did she mean?" Malinalli asked. "I still can't feel him, Bradford. _What did she mean_ about the link being broken?"

Bradford looked away from her. He knew the answer to that question, but he was choosing not to tell her.

Kon-Mai gripped her shoulders and looked around to meet her eyes. "Let us retreat, Malinalli, so the doctor may have space to work."

"That's a good idea." Bradford stared at the door. There was another bright flash of blue and the ship rattled. Malinalli gasped, her eyes lighting up for a moment, then she winced and covered her face.

"Come on." Gur-Rai gently took hold of her arm and the three made their way to the nearby cluster of chairs that sat outside the door. Malinalli took a seat in one, and Kon-Mai sat beside her. Gur-Rai leaned against the wall, picking at the cuticles of his nails.

They saw the door open, and the Commander came out, her face as white as her hair, looking like she'd seen a ghost. She stumbled for a moment, almost collapsing against the wall as Bradford caught her. She and Bradford converged upon each other, and she said something to him, and he gasped audibly. "_No fucking way._"

"What happened?!" Malinalli demanded.

"He's alive." Bradford said, his voice shaking. "He's-"

"Come on." Senuna dragged her Central Officer away before he could get a word in edgewise, and they disappeared around the bend from whence they came. The hallway was left in silence.

A few minutes dragged on into hours. The sun set outside and through the clouds, they could see stars. Kon-Mai tried to mediate but was distracted by Gur-Rai pacing back and forth. Malinalli had curled up into a ball, hardly speaking until the sky outside became dark blue, when she finally tapped Kon-Mai on the shoulder.

The Assassin looked up, and the young woman did not look ready to speak at all. She lowered herself to the human's stature to look her in the eye. "How do you fair?"

Malinalli shook her head. "...It was my fault."

"Somehow, I doubt that." Gur-Rai said. "What exactly happened down there?"

"I...um…" Malinalli took a breath and rubbed her eye with her palm. "When I saw him...he was on the balcony, speaking to the people in the city center...and he _surrendered_ to us."

Kon-Mai's eyebrows shot up. "The Warlock? Surrender?"

"He was giving a speech, in Italian. I caught a few bits but not much. Then he attacked the priests. There was...a commotion, I was pinned down by the troops and...he was going to meet me at St. Peter's and then we'd escape to the Avenger."

Gur-Rai's face softened as he heard the story. "_Wherefore art thou Warlock? Defy thy father, refuse thy name_...all that jazz."

"I got there…" Her voice cracked. "I saw him, just for a moment, and then...blood, from his eyes, nose, he was throwing up blood, there was so much...he fell right there and I pulled the chip, but…"

Gur-Rai raised a brow. "Well, I assume it was the chip that did that but...that's a lot of damage. Kon-Mai and I didn't have that happen."

"No..." Malinalli agreed. "...One of the Elders was there."

Kon-Mai gasped, and Gur-Rai sneered. "...Oh? Which one? Did 'Mommy' herself come to deal the final blow, or did they send one of the subordinates to do the dirty deed?"

"It wasn't a female...I don't think...it had a deep voice."

"What was the color of it's aura?" Kon-Mai asked.

"It was indigo. Blue, but not quite. Slightly purple."

"Ahhh." Gur-Rai nodded. "Now I'm caught up. That was Vox Bhandasura you met. The Warlock's 'favored' Elder per se. Makes sense he'd finish him off."

"Vox Bhandasura deals heavily in psionics." Kon-Mai elaborated. "It is by his hand I can cast the wave that strikes down my enemies."

"He didn't like me that much." Gur-Rai chuckled. "Well, none of 'em did."

Kon-Mai smiled at that. "Oh? I hadn't noticed."

The mood lifted for just a moment before it died again. Malinalli pressed her face into her knees.

"If I hadn't been there, he wouldn't have betrayed them."

"It is because of you he is saved from the Elders' hands." Kon-Mai assured her. "It is because of you, he has a fighting chance."

"Fighting being the operative word." Gur-Rai plopped into a folding chair that creaked under his weight. "Dhar-Mon is a stubborn ol' bastard. I guarantee he won't let this slow him down."

Silence. More waiting. The night passed quietly with people walking to and fro, no one saying a word to them. Kon-Mai tried stretching but found it hard to get her muscles to relax. Gur-Rai picked at a scab on his hand. Malinalli stayed quiet, motionless. As the three settled in their seats, each Chosen on either side of the human nurse, the sun began to rise and their eyelids began to droop. As dawn broke, the three were fast asleep, leaning against each other for support in this trying time.

.

.

The Commander was silent as Bradford sank into the chair, head in his hands. "...You're kidding me."

She shook her head. "I saw it in his mind, Bradford. The memories are still there, buried under layers of torture, but they're there."

"It has to be a mistake. Maybe he just saw it. Was a witness."

Senuna leaned against her desk. "Bradford. It's him. Older, and he's blue now, but...it's still him."

Bradford rubbed his face. "...Commander, you know what this means."

"We found him?" She smiled. "That's what we wanted, isn't it?"

"No Commander, it means this…" He gestured to the door. "The Chosen, the Elders' winning, all that destruction is _our fault_."

She pursed her lips. "...We had to."

"Did we, Commander? He was a fucking _kid_!"

"Do not raise your voice at me." She growled, her eyes narrowing. "I know what we did. I was there."

"Was it worth it?" Bradford got up and began pacing. "Look at them! Look at HIM! They turned him into a fucking MONSTER! Why are you not upset by this?!"

"I was the one who went to save him." Senuna stood up straight. "If you're asking if I care, you know that already, Bradford." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "...Why do you think I did all this?"

"Well…" Bradford crossed his arms. "The Warlock might not be savable, from what Tygan says…" He rubbed his forehead. "God fucking dammit. That poor kid."

Senuna nodded. "Every time I think I finally understand the Elders, they do something new, something worse. Why would they kill their own children?"

"They're not their children." Bradford shook his head. "You'd never treat your child like this."

Senuna nodded, hugging herself. "They never deserved him. _They_ never deserved to be called 'Mother,' or 'Father'…"

Bradford stood. "Senuna…"

"I just can't imagine it, John. I just can't. I wrack my brain and I can't find an answer. To hurt the life you brought into this world…" Her lip trembled. "How could someone do that?"

"There's still hope, Sunny." Bradford stood beside her and put a hand on her back.

"Hope for what?"

"Fuck if I know."

.

.

Footsteps woke them. Kon-Mai opened her eyes first, stretching her arms wide to relieve the ache in her back from sleeping in a hard plastic chair. She looked up and met eyes with…

"Dr. Tygan."

This woke the other two, Malinalli literally jolting back to consciousness and Gur-Rai being rudely roused by the sudden motion.

Tygan looked like he hadn't slept in a month. His white lab coat was stained reddish brown with splotches of blood. His glasses were filthy and the bags under his eyes could hide a body. Silently, he pulled up a chair across from them and sat, sighing. He took his glasses off, cleaned them, put them back on crooked, looked at the chart, looked up at them, looked back at the chart…

And silence.

"...Is he dead?" Gur-Rai asked.

Tygan heaved a long sigh. "...No."

Kon-Mai felt herself relax.

"But…" Tygan put the chart on his lap and clasped his hands, pressing the two index fingers to his lips. "...His condition is...less than optimal. While we were able to close all of the ruptured arteries, he has most likely sustained extensive nerve damage. And in the brain, that is...extremely serious."

"How serious?" Kon-Mai asked. "Do not hold back, Doctor. I wish to know the state of my brother."

"I am unsure if he will ever regain consciousness." Tygan said, his voice heavy. "And if he does, he may suffer permanent cognitive impairment for...however long he shall live."

"So he'll be a vegetable." Gur-Rai crossed his arms.

"In a very vulgar sense." Tygan glared at him. "But...yes...I fear that the damage to his brain is beyond my capabilities. If he awakens, his quality of life shall be substandard at best. He may need perpetual care and assistance for even the most basic of activities. Right now he is unable to even breathe on his own."

Kon-Mai stared at her hands, a lump forming in her throat that prevented her from speaking. Malinalli was sobbing again, silently this time.

_"I am so sorry." _Tygan whispered.

"It is not your fault, Doctor…" Kon-Mai murmured, her eyes burning. "...You tried. And that is all I asked of you…"

"Can we see him?" Gur-Rai asked.

"...Yes." Tygan stood up. "Though I should warn you the sight is...gruesome. He will not look how you remembered him."

The three stood, but Malinalli hung behind. She was shaking her head, her knees trembling and weak, and the bags under her eyes showed just how utterly tired she was. She took one step towards them...

"Perhaps it would be best if you return to the barracks." Tygan said to the nurse.

Malinalli looked up, her eyes showing protest she could not voice.

Kon-Mai nodded. "You must rest. This has been as hard on you as it is on us."

She stared at the ground as she passed them by, her whole body limp from exhaustion. They watched, and she looked back once before disappearing down the hall.

"A psionic bond is very dangerous." Tygan sighed. "If not simply the emotional burden, she may be experiencing residual effects of the severing of the bond."

"Poor thing." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "Let's go see the big lugnut, then."

They made it to the recovery room, Tygan opening the door for them slowly. "Please be very quiet. Noise seems to agitate him."

Kon-Mai stepped inside and froze.

Her big brother had never looked so small. He was a large man, but at that moment the white sheets and pillows seemed to absorb him. All she could see were his arms and his eyes, which were closed. The top of his head was bandaged tightly, and a breathing mask was held to his face with thick white bandages and tape. Even on his arms, he had patches of tape holding on IV tubes and electronic wires, whose monitors beeped rhythmically in the background. The only movement she saw was his chest, and even that just barely rose and fell.

"May I…" She approached him very slowly, reaching out toward him with a shaking hand "...touch him?"

"You may."

Moving to the right side of his bed, Kon-Mai could see his face up close now. His eyes were bruised and swollen shut. The oxygen "mask" was a full-on tube going down his throat and both of his nostrils. Had he been awake, Kon-Mai was sure he would have been in agony.

Kon-Mai took Dhar-Mon's hand and pressed it to her chest, leaning close to him. "Dhar-Mon…?"

No response.

"Brother? Can you hear me?"

No response, not even a twitch.

Gur-Rai turned to Tygan. "So, this machine is keeping him alive."

"Yes." Tygan said. "If he does not awaken, I would like to put forward the possibility of...removing him from life support."

Brother and sister exchanged looks. Kon-Mai looked pained, and even Gur-Rai grimaced at the thought.

"Let's give him a fighting chance." Gur-Rai protested. "He's surprised us before."

"Indeed." Kon-Mai nodded. "He is a child of gods, after all. Perhaps he will come out the other side, no worse for wear."

Tygan sighed, seemingly resigning himself. "As his family, it is your decision. I will keep the possibility open though."

"That is a bad idea, to give me that much power." Gur-Rai grinned.

"I assume, then, that my input carries more weight than his." Kon-Mai chuckled as she elbowed Gur-Rai gently.

"Ow. You wound me, Sister~"

They turned back to their brother, as though waiting for him to chime in or scold them. He had not moved.

"How often may we visit?" Kon-Mai asked.

"As long as he doesn't need to return to surgery, whenever you like." Tygan checked one of the monitors. "Hm...your presence seems to...well, it calms him."

Gur-Rai bit his lip, blinking repeatedly as though he was holding back tears. Kon-Mai took his hand as well.

"I will leave you three alone." Tygan said. "Please, alert me if there's any trouble."

They nodded as he left, and Gur-Rai pulled up a chair on the left side of Dhar-Mon's bed and collapsed into it. "..._Fuck_."

"Language." Kon-Mai growled.

"English, I believe." Gur-Rai glared at her. "They really fucked him over, those bastards."

"I am surprised you care." Kon-Mai grumbled. "You did not before."

"I wanted him to get his ass kicked, Kon-Mai. I didn't want him to _suffer_." He snapped. "And wasn't it you who just lectured me about giving our brother another chance? Well I'm doing that now." He crossed his arms. "Or I would if he wasn't practically braindead."

"Do not say such things." Kon-Mai said.

"Fine, _Mom_."

"Gur-Rai-!" She took a deep breath. "No. Let us not fight here." She squeezed Dhar-Mon's hand. "He needs us now."

Gur-Rai reached over and laid his hand on Dhar-Mon's wrist, hesitating, his face lined with uncertainty. He saw Kon-Mai, her eyes flicking between his hand and his face, and slowly slid his hand down and grasped his elder brother's palm.

They sat like that for a moment, Kon-Mai leaning on her elbows against the mattress, and Gur-Rai getting as comfortable as he could in the very uncomfortable folding chair. Then, Gur-Rai reached over and took Kon-Mai's free hand in his own, completing the circle. She looked up, and he smiled at her.

She laid her head on the mattress beside Dhar-Mon, and closed her eyes.

.

.

A full week passed, then half of another. Things had been eerily silent since Dhar-Mon had arrived on the Avenger. The rate of ADVENT patrols had dropped steeply, to the point that their own teams were hardly needed in the field. Perhaps that was good though, because anxiety permeated the metal walls of the ship.

Each day, Gur-Rai and Kon-Mai would come to the sick bay, Kon-Mai first at about 6 A.M., then Gur-Rai later, usually around lunchtime. They would sit at Dhar-Mon's beside, sometimes talking to him quietly, sometimes Kon-Mai would sing old Etheric lullabies that could put any worried soul to sleep. Sometimes Gur-Rai would bring in a novel and read it aloud for his big brother. Sometimes they just sat in silence, holding each other's hands in a circle, like they were today.

Kon-Mai was sitting up close Dhar-Mon, running her fingers through his long hair, combing it, stroking it lovingly, as though doing so would heal his fractured mind. Gur-Rai watched her intently, studying her movements. His sister could be so nurturing when she wanted to be.

She was whispering something now, low and soft, and Gur-Rai craned his ears.

_"Kwai ux ludwik for lau ntxa,  
Et xigir lor tuag naví?  
Kwai ux hersē for lau ntxa,  
Et qeyri qoymaq rai drí?"_

Gur-Rai remained silent so his sister wouldn't notice him staring, lest she stop her song. Her voice was raspy, a facsimile of femininity, but something about the deep rustle of those alien vocal cords made the way she sang so...soothing.

_"Mawari neylor ntxa, dhay,_  
_Oix ezom qeyri khod'ba,_  
_Tajeddigt neylos jx e'vay,_  
_Vāṭiyatu, et tuag."_

Then she looked up. "I can sense you watching me."

Gur-Rai smiled. "What song is that?"

"It does not have a name." Kon-Mai admitted. "I am simply making it up as I go."

"Well it's lovely." He got up briefly, turned the chair around and sat backwards on it, stretching his back with a grunt.

"Thank you. My singing seems to soothe him. Occasionally I think I feel him stir…" She took a deep breath. "But then I look and see...he has not moved."

Gur-Rai looked up at her.

"I have been considering what Tygan said." Kon-Mai sat on the end of Dhar-Mon's bed. "How even if he should awaken...whether it would be more cruel to keep him alive."

Gur-Rai's eyes darted to the floor. "Of course. He always wanted to be the strong one…"

"Even if he lives, would he see his prospective life, and wish for death?" She rubbed her temples. "I do not know. And if I kept him alive, despite his suffering, for my own selfish reasons, what would that make me?"

Gur-Rai stood up, and pulled her off the bed into a hug. Kon-Mai froze at this display of affection, her brother had barely ever touched her before. Now, he put one hand on the back of her head and pulled her in close. She, as the shock faded, wrapped her arms around him.

"That would make you a worrywart." Gur-Rai chuckled. "Don't forget, Sister. I'm here to help you make this decision."

"And what do you think we should do?" She whispered.

Gur-Rai sighed and looked at his brother, his eyes lingering on him. "...I think we have a difficult choice to make." He said. "And that perhaps it's better to let him die with...honor."

Kon-Mai shuddered, and he felt her tremble in his arms as the sobbing began. She was silent, but that only served to wrack her thin body as she tried to keep her voice in. He could feel tears seeping through his clothes and pulled her closer, tighter.

"And if he wakes?'" She asked quietly.

"I don't know." Gur-Rai said. "But I do know I wouldn't want to be kept alive, if my mind was…" He hesitated "...essentially gone."

She gripped his shirt, squeezing it in her fists. "It's not supposed to end like this!" She cried. "He is our brother!"

"I know."

"He is a child of the Elders!" She was screaming, but her voice was muffled by his arms. "He is a child of the GODS! And the gods have murdered him!"

"I know..."

"I will avenge him!" Gur-Rai had to hold her up, as her legs were beginning to shake. "I will strike down each and every one of them! They shall taste my grief in STEEL AND BLOOD!"

"Sister." He hushed her, rubbing her back. "Little Sister, please."

"I hate them." She whispered, the gravity in her voice weighing down the air itself. "I hate them. With every atom of my being, I hate them…" She pulled away from him, wiping her damp face with her palms. "I am sorry. I...lost my composure. That was unlike me."

Gur-Rai smiled and grasped her shoulders tightly. "You were being too strong, Sister. You were bound to fall sometime, and I'm just glad you let me catch you."

.

.

Tygan watched the Chosen out of the corner of his eye. They were silent as he worked, turning off each one of the machines one by one. He began to reach for the breathing tube, but pulled back. He would leave that for now. Removing that was traumatic and...they were in enough pain.

Kon-Mai was completely silent, and even Gur-Rai was speechless, his face lined and serious. Tygan switched off the last monitor, leaving only the heart rate and breathing apparatus functional, and then turned to face the two.

"I'll give you two some time alone with him." His voice sounded heavy and sad. "I'm sorry."

As he left the room, the two siblings settled beside their brother. Kon-Mai felt tears welling again but forced them down. Be calm, be still, be silent. Just like before. She wished she could be empty.

"It was an honor, Brother." Gur-Rai ran his thumb over Dhar-Mon's palm. "Sorry it had to end like this."

"The Elders will pay for what they have done to you." Kon-Mai hissed. "I will see it done, Brother."

They heard footsteps and Gur-Rai turned towards the door, expecting to see Tygan back to deliver the hand of fate. But what he saw instead was the tiny form of the nurse who started it all.

"Molly."

Kon-Mai looked up. "Malinalli…"

"Tygan told me." Her voice was soft. She looked over the silent machines. "So it's true…?"

His sister was silent as a grave, so Gur-Rai answered. "Unfortunately. There's no saving the poor fellow. Elders did too much damage."

Malinalli stepped forward, taking a deep breath. "Sometimes I still dream about him. Like he's trying to reach me…" She looked between the two.

"Malinalli…" Kon-Mai's voice was choked. "There is nothing here but sadness and death. All we can do is keep him close in...these final moments."

Gur-Rai moved around beside his sister and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and Malinalli took his place on Dhar-Mon's left.

"I'm sorry." She said. "Both of you."

"You did nothing-" Kon-Mai broke off as she saw Malinalli's expression.

"This is my fault." She snapped. "If I hadn't been there...perhaps the Elders would have spared him, long enough to remove the chip. Long enough to give him time...but I…" She shook her head. "I followed a calling voice, and it led Dhar-Mon to his death." Malinalli gently took hold of Dhar-Mon's hand.

"...Why him?" Gur-Rai asked. "What was so special about him, Molly?"

She shook her head. "...When I looked into his eyes...it was like looking at someone I'd known all my life, like seeing an old friend again." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "I wish we'd had more time...to actually become…" She shook her head, tears falling from her eyes onto Dhar-Mon's forehead.

The two Chosen watched her as she straightened up. "I should leave."

"Do you wish to stay?" Kon-Mai asked.

"No. I've done enough." Malinalli barely held back her sobbing as she quickly left the room, her footsteps fading away.

Gur-Rai grabbed a tissue nearby as Kon-Mai brought Dhar-Mon's hand to her lips and gave it a gentle kiss. The middle Chosen came up behind his young sister and put a hand on her back, reaching over Dhar-Mon's body to wipe away the tears Malinalli had left behind.

His finger touched Dhar-Mon's burning skin, and as he flicked away the water, he felt the muscles twitch. He froze, his hand still in place. Had he imagined it?

"Gur-Rai?" Kon-Mai asked. "What is wrong?"

He shook his head and ran his thumb over his brother's brow. He felt the muscles move, as though Dhar-Mon was squeezing his eyes shut.

"Kon-Mai." He said. "Don't freak out, but I think he's-"

He heard her gasp. "His hand!"

Gur-Rai looked over to her.

"He grasped it! I felt it!" She knelt beside him. "Dhar-Mon…?" She took his hand in both of hers. "Please…!"

Gur-Rai watched as Dhar-Mon's limp fingers closed around Kon-Mai's and weakly squeezed.

The two looked up at each other, eyes wide.

"Go get-"

"I'll get Tygan." Gur-Rai turned on his heel and sprinted out the door.

.

.

Gur-Rai had burst into Tygan's office so fast he'd ripped the lock off the door, and damn near given the poor doctor a stroke of his own. But upon hearing the news, he had grabbed his equipment and followed Gur-Rai back to the recovery room at almost the same pace as the Chosen, the two rocketing down the hall, practically sliding to a stop at the recovery room door.

Kon-Mai was still clasping his hand tightly in both of hers, and every once in a while Dhar-Mon would squeeze back, or his brow would twitch. As Tygan entered the room with Gur-Rai on his heels, Dhar-Mon let out a small noise.

"Brother, if you can hear me, grasp my hand again." Kon-Mai said desperately, and nearly burst into tears as he did. "Doctor, he is awake!"

"I can see that." Tygan began taking out his tools. "When did he start responding to stimuli?"

"It was right after Malinalli left." Gur-Rai said. "I felt his eyebrow twitch and he started moving his ha-" He broke off as he felt someone grab his arm, and looked down.

Dhar-Mon was reaching out in his direction and had latched onto his forearm, his grip weak but very much there. Gur-Rai froze for a moment, unsure of what to do with this.

"Take his hand!" Kon-Mai snarled. "Do not simply stand there!"

Gur-Rai moved his arm slightly and grabbed onto Dhar-Mon's hand, kneeling beside him. "Hello there, Big Brother…"

Dhar-Mon made a small noise, like a whimper that was supposed to be a word. Gur-Rai saw his brow twitch again.

"Don't panic. I'm here. Kon-Mai is here, too. Say hi, Sister."

"I am here." She ran the knuckle of her finger gently over his cheek. "It is me, Dhar-Mon, it's Kon-Mai. You are safe."

With the sound of her voice, he turned toward her and mumbled something around the tube in his throat. _"Whhrhhhm."_

"What?" Gur-Rai smirked, and Kon-Mai smacked his shoulder.

"Is there any way you can remove the device?" Kon-Mai asked.

"Not until I'm certain he can breathe on his own." Tygan said as he frantically went to work, turning on every machine he had turned off before. "If he continues to improve, that might be a possibility."

_"Whhhrr hhhhsssh."_ Dhar-Mon mumbled again.

Gur-Rai got closer to his brother. "Say that again?"

_"Whr hhshsh…"_

"Worcestershire?" Gur-Rai grinned. "Like the sauce?"

"I doubt think he's trying to say Worshe...Werchest….Worsheses...whatever it was you just said." Kon-Mai snapped at her brother. "Dhar-Mon, what is it? What do you require of us?"

_"Whhrr hss shhhhuh."_ He sounded slightly clearer, more insistent this time.

"Whurr...where?" Gur-Rai mused. "Where is he?"

_"Shhh."_

"She." He looked up. "Who's he talking about?"

Kon-Mai furrowed her brow. "Doctor, can you call in Malinalli please?"

"Why?"

"I...have a theory."

Tygan furrowed his brow but pressed a button on his comm. "Malinalli Zúñiga, please report to the recovery room."

The three fell silent as they waited. Tygan was busying himself with fussing with the oxygen tank, lowering the pressure slightly every minute or so and measuring Dhar-Mon's breaths per minute. It was an agonizing five whole minutes before Kon-Mai stood up.

"I am going to find her."

"She might be busy-" Gur-Rai began but Kon-Mai cut him off.

"If this human is my brother's best chance at recovery, she is coming with me by hook or by crook." She pushed past the two men and stormed out the door.

.

.

"Doctor, do no harm." She muttered.

Malinalli stared at her hands as she sat cross legged on her bed. She wasn't a doctor, not yet, but could she even stand to be near a patient again?

They had trusted her, and she had failed.

Dhar-Mon, her friend, had trusted her with his life. And because of that trust, he was gone.

"Doctor, do no harm." She muttered, looking up as she heard footsteps. Kon-Mai briskly walked over to her and stood there, arms crossed.

"I assume you heard the call." She asked.

"I did…" Malinalli sat up. "Does Tygan need me?"

"No. Dhar-Mon needs you."

Malinalli's face fell. "I...can't, I'm sorry."

"Mali-"

"Tell him to get Lothar, or Vicky, or anyone else. I can't look at him." She grasped at her curly hair. "After what I've done to him, I can't be there. I'll just do more harm than good."

Kon-Mai pressed her lips into a thin line, barely containing her anger. "Firstly, child, YOU did nothing to hurt him."

"I-"

"I was not there, I will admit. But it was Elder Bhandasura that injured him, and it is Elder Bhandasura who should hold the shame for this, not you."

"But-"

"And secondly, bold of you to assume so little of your abilities as a physician." Kon-Mai scoffed. "Look at all you did for me, for Gur-Rai. It was you who assisted in the surgery that saved his life! And you have saved Dhar-Mon too, child!"

"Wait." Malinalli held her hands up. "What's happening in there?"

"Dhar-Mon has begun to wake up." She cried, grabbing Malinalli's hand and dragging her from the bed. "Now please for the love of the galaxy, stop moping and come along! He is asking for you specifically!"

"He is?!" Malinalli cried as she was rushed down the hall. "But...why?! The psionic bond is broken, I should have no effect on him! Does he even remember me?!"

"Let us find out." Kon-Mai pushed the door open and nudged Malinalli inside.

"Glad you could make it." Gur-Rai stood up, holding Dhar-Mon's right arm limply in his hand. "I think he's slipping again, hurry up and do your magic."

Malinalli moved around to his left side, scrambling close to him. "Dhar-Mon…?"

Dhar-Mon moved his head towards the sound of her voice and lifted his hand slightly. Malinalli gasped, lunging forward to grab it.

"I'm here!" She cried. "Dhar-Mon...can you hear me…?"

He didn't say anything, but she felt his hand squeeze hers, and keep squeezing.

"Come on, Brother." Gur-Rai patted his arm. "You're almost there."

"Can you hear us?" Kon-Mai called, leaning over Gur-Rai. "We are here, Dhar-Mon!"

"Please!" Malinalli closed her eyes, putting every ounce of energy she had into the words she spoke. "Please Dhar-Mon. _Come back to me_."

Dhar-Mon's whole body twitched slightly. His fingers curled into tight fists. He took a deep breath, like someone waking from a dream, and slowly he opened his eyes, squinting in the light.

Kon-Mai let out a sound that seemed to be a mix of a gasp and a sob, and Gur-Rai threw his head back and laughed. "I told you! I told you that old bastard wasn't out of tricks, yet!"

Dhar-Mon looked around, from one sibling to the other, from Tygan to Malinalli. He blinked slowly and whimpered, then reached up and felt around the breathing tube that was still down his throat. He wrapped his hand around it before Tygan jumped in.

"No, no, no, you still need that." He began adjusting a dial on the oxygen tank. "I'm going to start lowering his oxygen levels, let us see if he can breathe automatically."

"Dhar-Mon, I'm here." Malinalli whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I abandoned you!"

He reached out with one hand and pressed the back of his hand to her cheek, running it along her soft skin gently. She took his palm and leaned against him, laughing now instead of crying.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Brother." Gur-Rai said. Dhar-Mon turned to look at him, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

Kon-Mai peeked out from behind him. "Do you...remember me, Brother?"

Dhar-Mon's eyes widened as he saw her, and he tried to reach out, but his right hand seemed to not respond to the command, only wiggling slightly in Gur-Rai's grasp. Gur-Rai patted his hand and hushed him.

"See, Dhar-Mon? I told you she was alive." Gur-Rai smirked.

"Yes, Gur-Rai, you are very smart." Kon-Mai rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I think we're ready. Molly, would you mind scrubbing up?" Tygan asked.

"Right away, Doc." She squeezed Dhar-Mon's hand. "We're gonna get that tube out of your throat, okay?"

Dhar-Mon nodded enthusiastically, and Kon-Mai took his left hand again in Malinalli's absence. Tygan began undoing the bandages around Dhar-Mon's mouth as Malinalli got into her scrubs and gloves.

"Ready with the hose?" Tygan asked.

"Got it." Malinali began undoing the clasps around the mask part of the tube.

"On the count of three." Tygan said, and took one side of the breathing mask.

"Dhar-Mon, as we pull this, try and cough." Malinalli said, grabbing the other side.

"One, two...three!" The two doctors pulled on the tube, and Dhar-Mon made a retching noise as it came out in one fell swoop. He coughed and gagged as they pulled the last of it from his throat.

"We good!" Malinalli cried. "Oh boy, I bet that's a relief!"

"Try and say something." Tygan ordered Dhar-Mon, who was feeling along his throat where the tube had been."

_"Jrak."_ He said, his voice little more than a hiss. Gur-Rai laughed and Kon-Mai smiled, a mix of relief and annoyance.

"What did he say?" Malinalli asked.

"Something naughty~" Gur-Rai was giggling like a child. "Who used to always lecture me about watching my mouth, hm?"

"That felt bad." Dhar-Mon's voice was practically inaudible, but he was talking. "Sister, are you here? Where are you…?"

"I am here." Kon-Mai squeezed his right hand. "...Can you not see?"

"It is...color...and light." He coughed again. "But not your faces."

"The visual cortex was right at the epicenter of the shock." Tygan said. "But hopefully as time passes, that shall rectify itself, with how well he seems to have healed." Tygan looked over them with pride.

"You...are here?" Dhar-Mon asked again quietly.

"Yes." Kon-Mai smiled widely. "We are all here, Brother. And you, you are safe now."

* * *

(I'd never kill off Warlock, especially before the story has even begun, but I do love some good old fashioned angst, especially with these guys~

Hope I didn't scare you all too bad! Things can only go up from here!

I almost forgot, the song Kon-Mai sings is actually The Unquiet Grave done by Karliene, and was translated into Etheric by yours truly! Have I actually created a working language? Not yet but I had enough to make this sound plausibly good!)


	11. Side Effects of Paralysis

The quiet of the Sanctuary was broken by Abyzou's blood curdling scream. It cut through the air like a blade, rousing all those who heard it. Even long dead spirits turned in their graves.

The Elders began to rise. One, then two, three four and finally five, each one more fragile and taut than the last, met in the center of their Sanctuary. From the Great Hall emerged Elder Camazotz, his light seeming more like darkness, stifling all who gazed upon him. His deep purple eyes scanned his five subordinates, and if he had a mouth, he would have been smiling.

**"Well."** He turned to the Ethereal closest to his right. **"You can say it, Imdugud."**

The Ethereal on his right, slightly taller than the others, seemed puzzled. **"****_Madron_****…?"**

**"Vox Nergal has abandoned us." **There was almost a chuckle in Camazotz' voice when he said it. **"Now Rome is in revolt. They've exiled the priests we sent and have holed up in the former stronghold. And, of course, it was you who warned us of this."**

**"Is Vox Nergal dead?"** One of the others called out.

**"I do not know."** With all four arms, Camazotz shrugged. **"The link to us is broken. I do know that Bhandasura punished him for this crime though, and hardly any mortal could live through that~"** He looked toward the center of the group. **"Reue, you look like you have something to say."**

The Ethereal who stared at his voice was the only noticeably female one of the group. She was shorter, with a larger head and wide purple eyes. Camazotz could feel her nervousness when he looked at her.

**"Come now."** He mocked her. **"We do not have all day~"**

**"...Is ****_lau Mordenna_****…"** She hesitated. **"Is she alright…?"**

**"Abyzou?"** He chuckled. **"She is in agony. I do not know why, It was she who gave the order to kill him; you would think she'd be happy. But that is the female kind."** He bobbed his head. **"No offense, Reue."**

**"****_Lau Madron_****."** Imdugud cut in. **"Dhar-Mon Madron was the last Chosen. Without him, our forces are now at a major disadvantage."**

**"Especially with the rumors."** The Ethereal on Reue's left hissed with a light voice. **"The soldiers are saying Kon-Mai Mordenna is alive."**

**"I heard XCOM was seen with the body of Gur-Rai Madron."** Another beside them said. **"Who knows what they have done with them."**

**"Xezbeth, Tiyanak, what have I told you about talking out of turn?"** Camazotz sounded jovial, but there was a crackle of electricity around his fingers. **"You know that makes me very angry."**

**"I am sorry, ****_Madron_****…" **Tiyanak bowed their head. Xezbeth, however, kept talking, creeping forward toward the Great Elder.

**"What if Vox Zagre is now a traitor too, ****_Madron_****? Is he not your own son? What happens then? What happ-"**

Camazotz barely had to wave a hand as a pillar of light struck Xezbeth down, laying them flat against the floor. Reue heard bones shatter as they collided with the hard surface, writhing under the hand of one of the three Great Ones. Camazotz let up almost immediately, but Xezbeth still laid unmoving, their mind reaching out in agony. Reue had to turn away.

**"You are more annoying than my children."** Camazotz chuckled. **"And if my darling children live, and have turned their back on us? I shall do what any good father would."** His eyes grew dark. **"I shall simply remind them of what they have lost. And how much we love them."**

**"Camazotz."**

They turned, and all bowed at the tall figure approaching, his blue light a reprieve.

**"Bhanda."** Camazotz floated closer to his partner and put one of his bony hands on his cheek, pressing his head into Bhandasura's neck. He stayed there for a moment, and Bhandasura gently grasped Camazotz' shoulders.

**"Abyzou is asking for you."** He finally said.

**"Abyzou can wait. I have not had a moment alone with you in weeks."** He turned to the lesser Ethereals. **"You are dismissed."**

**"Will ****_lau Mordenna_****-"** Reue began, but stopped when Camazotz held up his hand.

**"Leave."**

**"Yes, ****_Madron_****."** She bowed, and Tiyanak rushed forward, helping Xezbeth to their feet. The Sanctuary was soon as empty and cold as it had been before.

Camazotz held up his spindly fingers and watched as Bhandasura entwined his within them. **"You are always thinking of Abyzou."** Camazotz chuckled.

**"She's grieving for her children…"** Bhandasura replied quietly.

**"Her children she killed."** Camazotz scoffed. **"What about me, Bhanda? I am very sad at the loss of my little Gur."** He could feel Bhandasura's sigh, and he slipped his leg between the other Elder's robes, their bones practically melding throuhg paper-thin skin. **"Something troubles you, dhay?"**

**"...She made me go."** Bhandasura whispered. **"She said Dhar-Mon was my responsibility."**

**"Dhar-Mon was a failure from the start."** Camazotz pressed his hands to Bhandasura's cheeks. **"He was too human and we took too long to change him. To think he would fall to a mortal woman? Honestly not surprising."**

**"Perhaps…"** Bhandasura said, his voice low. **"But he was still mine…"**

**"No use will come from grieving, Bhanda. Do not cry over dead stars." **Camazotz assured him, pressing their foreheads together.

**"But Imdugud was not wrong."** Bhandasura admitted. **"The humans are close to taking back their city. Our troops are losing, Camazotz."**

**"We are gods, Bhandasura. We will not lose."**

Bhandasura wrapped his four bony arms around Camazotz and let his other lover pull in into his embrace. But the anguish still weighed heavy on his mind.

.

.

The Hunter was in a very good mood.

His brother was cognizant again, and his sister was too busy taking care of him to get on Gur-Rai's case about much of anything, leaving him free to screw around. It had only been half a day since Dhar-Mon had emerged from his coma but the ol' lugnut had already regained most of his faculties. Gur-Rai would even say the incident humbled him a bit, which was something his brother had sorely needed.

Gur-Rai strolled into the armory, his head held high, where he met with the anxious face of Senuna, her eyes bright in anticipation. Jane Kelly stood at her side, speaking quietly, and broke off her sentence mid-word as the Hunter walked in.

"Ladies." He tipped his imaginary hat as he strolled in.

Jane rolled her eyes.

"Hello there, Gur-Rai." Senuna said cheerfully. "How is Dhar-Mon?"

"Better than before, if I do say so myself!" Gur-Rai clapped. "The Doc says he's hoping for a full recovery."

"That's amazing." Senuna looked genuinely happy, but Gur-Rai could see something else in her eyes. Something...uncertain.

"Yes." He nodded. "Now, it was you who called me here, Commander?"

"Oh!" Senuna's face lit up again. "We got your gear back!"

"You did? All of it?"

"All of it." Jane confirmed. "The stronghold's been abandoned since you… 'died,' so to speak. It wasn't hard to get in there."

"Abandoned?" Gur-Rai scoffed. "How dare they, leaving a perfectly good stronghold like that." He looked to the table beside them. "At least you managed to save what's important."

Senuna gestured over the equipment table. "Behold, Darklance herself. Take a look, please!"

Hunter chuckled as he walked over to it, running his hand along the black metal. "Ol' Reliable. She never fails me…" He trailed off as he looked at the other weapon on the table, and the pile of cloth beside it.

"What's that?"

"Oh, I finished your sweater!" She picked it off the table and held it up, having to extend her arms to keep it off the floor. "I made the color palette purple rather than green, so it would match your physique a bit more. Gave it a hood, too. I figured you'd like that!"

"I very much like that." He took the sweater and draped it over his arm. "But I was more referring to this." He picked up the machete, the grip reinforced with blue leather and the blade polished to a sheen.

"Oh, this thing! It was in your stronghold, right next to Darklance. I wasn't sure if you wanted it, but I grabbed it just in case. Had Shen fix it up for you." She bobbed her head. "I know you used to go on and on about how swords suck, but...well, it was there. And Mox said you were using it when he fought you!"

Gur-Rai was speechless as he looked over the blade. It did shine in the light, catching his eye. It was an impressive weapon, that he had to acknowledge. He wondered how Kon-Mai had managed to forge it...

He stuck it in his belt. "And what about armor, Commander? I don't expect my sweater to be very durable against machine guns, as wonderfully made as it may be."

"Armor." Jane sighed and gestured to a rack behind her. "I did that."

He walked over to it. At first glance, it looked exactly like his old ADVENT armor, and he was about to scold Jane for her laziness, but then he took a closer look. It was blue; that was the first change. The padding on his arms was black now instead of red, and the gold trim had been replaced with a silvery metal. The other difference was it looked much more...durable. The shoulder pauldron was larger, he noted, and the plating on his arms looked more sturdy. The chestplate now bore a glowing XCOM insignia.

"I even got your stupid legwarmers." Jane said.

"My favorite part." He grinned widely and began to strip down from the clothes provided (they barely fit him anyway) until he wore only a ratty tank top and his briefs. Senuna made a point to look away as he changed. Jane did not.

Gur-Rai strapped on the chestplate and lifted Darklance onto his back. "Well, ladies, if you'll excuse me-"

"Hang on!" Senuna called to him. "You need to sign your contract!"

He looked over the table, his eyes searching for the paper until Jane pushed it towards him. He took it in both hands and skimmed over it quickly, quietly reading aloud to himself.

"I am now an official employee of the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, yada yada yada, my duties will include pissing off ADVENT and generally being an ass, if I am too much of an ass the Commander will not hesitate to put a cap in me." He smirked. "Where do I sign?"

Jane handed him a pen, and the hunter quickly scribbled a triangle shape on the paper.

Senuna blinked. "That's your signature?"

"Yep." He pointed to it. "It's a G, R and M all mashed together. 'Gur-Rai Madron.'"

"Huh…" Senuna blinked. "I've never seen someone do that with Etheric…"

"I'm a trendsetter." He winked.

"Right. Speaking of." Jane said as she took the paper. "We need a callsign for you."

"Unless you want to keep 'The Hunter.'" Senuna said. "I think it's very-"

"Darkstrider."

"That was quick." Jane commented.

"Yes, I've been thinking about it since I woke up here." He looked like a little kid unboxing a toy on Christmas. "The Elders assigned us our names and titles, this is the first time I'VE been able to choose my name. And I like 'Darkstrider.'"

"It's...very avant-garde!" Senuna cheered. "Darkstrider it is then!"

"Thank you!" He chuckled. "For the sweater, mostly. This material is incredible."

"I told you, didn't I? I'm a natural seamstress." Senuna flipped her hair. "Back when I was just a girl, we had to sew all our clothes ourselves~"

"When were you born, the 1400's?" Jane mused.

"Oh no, Jane, I'm not that old." Senuna winked. "1800's."

Jane blinked, and Senuna just burst into a fit of giggles.

"Now Commander." Gur-Rai leaned on the table. "Where am I dropping first? I've been _dying _to make my big debut~"

.

.

Over and over, mist and motion, mist and motion. That was what he saw when he slept.

He heard voices in the darkness, felt wisps brushing at his skin, but when he tuned there was no one there.

Dhar-Mon had never had dreams like this. For as long as he could remember, the Elders were there, heralding over his thoughts like jailers, keeping him in check, sifting through his dreams.

He could still feel them now. They were chasing him, and part of him reached out and longed for their strange embrace…

_"Dhar-Mon…?"_

Her voice woke him, as always. He opened his eyes to bright white light, and Malinalli's fuzzy form stood over him.

"You were trembling." She whispered, and he felt her warm fingers on his cheek. "Are you cold?"

He shook his head. "...Simply a nightmare." He whispered. He wanted to reach for her hand, but she was on his right, and the fingers on that side were still stiff and unmoving.

Malinalli moved from his side, and Dhar-Mon looked around. "Is Kon-Mai here?" His sister had taken to camping by his side, sometimes spending hours at a time in the recovery room with him, well into the night.

"She went out for a bit." Malinalli said. "Well, Tygan made her go. She's still recovering from her scars and he doesn't want her stationary for long periods."

His sister's scars. The injury she had obtained in her capture by XCOM. The one that started all of them down this path. He wondered who had caused such wounds: who had felled his little sister so quickly?

He looked up at Malinalli again, who was flipping through his medical file. From the sound of the many turning pages, it was already looking like a small novel, and more was added to it everyday.

"You're incredible." She giggled. "I hope you know that."

"In what way am I incredible?"

"...You were braindead." She said softly. "There was...no electromagnetic activity there. Next to none. Even if you woke up...well, you wouldn't have been talking." She left it at that.

"It is you who is incredible." Dhar-Mon smiled. "For it is your voice that cut through my melancholic mind, and brought me back to life."

"I don't know how I did it." She admitted. "I wish I did. There are so many people I could save."

"Do you see combat often?" He asked.

"No, not really." She stacked the paper neatly. "I'm not good at fighting, like, at all. The Commander especially doesn't like me going out where I could get hurt." She sighed. "She's not like this with the other medics! It's just me! I feel like she doesn't trust me."

"She simply does not know your true strength." He assured her. "I am sure if she did, she would not hesitate to allow you to utilize your gift."

Malinalli seemed to hesitate. "...Yeah…" She muttered. He heard her put the papers back into a drawer and close it.

"You mustn't doubt yourself." He said again.

"It's not that." She returned to his side, and he heard her sit down. "...Do you get the feeling that I'm...too strong?"

"I feel as though you have the perfect amount of strength." Dhar-Mon assured her.

"Compared to you." She giggled. "You're a demigod. I'm just some jackass who three months ago could only use my psionics for shadow puppets if the room was pitch black."

"Have you never used your power before?" He found that hard to believe.

She shook her head, but then realized he couldn't see her. "Not...like this. I could do party tricks, aura reading and all that and there's a tarot deck I sometimes play with." She chuckled. "I don't think it works like that, though. And I certainly didn't know it could heal."

He thought about it for a moment. He'd never considered his powers, or their strength. And when Malinalli began conversing with him, he'd stopped questioning hers as well. The Templars were just as powerful, were they not?

Still, when he looked at her (or in her direction), he did not see the visage of a powerful sage. He saw a young woman, who wanted only to help.

"You saved me from the tyranny of the Elders." He said. "Perhaps...I can repay that debt? Once I am well again."

"Repay the debt how?"

He held up his left hand, and felt a tingle all the way up in the back of his neck as purple energy danced on his fingertips. "I can teach you how to use your power."

He could feel the dismay on her face even if he couldn't see it. "...That's dangerous…"

"Psionic energy is very dangerous. But to those who honor it, great rewards will be reaped."

"What if you get hurt again?" She protested. "What if one of the synapses tears open again and you have another aneurysm?!"

"If that were to be, then it would not matter, as I would die on the battlefield as I summon my power."

"Battlefield?" Her voice sounded small and scared. "You want to fight?"

He sighed. "I did not come to the Avenger to retire, Malinalli. You are fighting in a war, and I intend to be a soldier."

.

.

Kon-Mai pressed the cool-down button on the treadmill, her forehead dripping with sweat. The poor machine had almost given way with how fast she had been running, but the old thing held on. It was built to last, she'd give it that. ADVENT's equipment was all so flimsy, made to be replaced after only a year or two.

Absentmindedly, her hand went to her stomach again, and suddenly she felt heavy. Her scar was hard and raised, but cool, as though the long settled anger was hardened into stone. She walked, the machine slowing down, and her eyes fell to the floor as she remembered that fateful day…

There was a noise behind her. Kon-Mai stopped the treadmill and turned around.

There stood a woman. Her skin was a rich, olive brown, but her hair was deep gold like harvested wheat. In the light it looked almost green. Her eyes were the same shade, a green-gold, pointedly meeting purple ones. She stared up at Kon-Mai as the Chosen turned off the treadmill and stepped off, using her towel to wipe the violaceous sweat from her face.

"May I help you?" Kon-Mai asked, looking the woman up and down.

"Yes." The woman said, her accent...strange. German? No, it had too much of a ...twang to it. A curl, almost Middle Eastern.

"...Well?"

"I am Goldilocks." The woman said.

Kon-Mai smiled. "So YOU are Goldilocks?" Finally she could put a face to a name. "Malinalli has spoken of you."

"I hear you are very good with swords…" She shifted, and now Kon-Mai could see that, despite the prim persona, she was very nervous.

"I am." Kon-Mai smiled.

"The Commander has tasked me with making a training course. For sword practice. She wants more soldiers to use swords." Goldilocks clasped her hands in front of her. "I am good at swords. I am NOT as good as you."

"Do you expect me to teach your class for you?"

"I want you to teach ME." Goldilocks said.

Kon-Mai raised a brow. "Teach _you_?"

"Long I have wanted to perfect my sword arm." Goldilocks said, her tone changing to excitement. "It is the only weapon I truly love. I want to learn from the Mistress of Blades herself."

"Mistress of Blades?" Kon-Mai chuckled. "Well, child, perhaps flattery will get you somewhere. Do you have a sword?"

"Let me fetch the training ones."

"No. Get YOUR sword." Kon-Mai insisted.

"...My sword?"

"Your sword is an extension of yourself. You should learn to move with it properly." She looked Goldilocks over again. "You do have one, do you not?"

"Y-Yes-"

"Good. Now fetch it, I will not wait all day."

.

.

Goldilocks took enough time that Kon-Mai was able to slip back into her armor after toweling herself off. She would have liked to shower, but she supposed that could wait until after. Not that she was expecting to work up a sweat against this human.

The woman returned with a sword that was curved in the blade, even more so than Kon-Mai's own katana. She presented it to the Chosen, who raised a brow.

"My my my…" Kon-Mai took the blade from her and felt its weight in her hands. "Wherever did you get a shamshir?"

"It was my grandfather's." Goldilocks said.

"Ah." She looked the woman up and down and suddenly it clicked. "Where were you born?"

"Germany." Goldilocks said. "But Mama was from Iran." Her eyes flickered to her saber. "Her father gave her that sword. And when she died I took it with me."

"Swords are just the same as people." Kon-Mai handed it back to her, hilt-first. "They are made richer by their histories. This sword has seen much in it's life." She looked the woman over. "You, however, have not. This blade will be much to handle."

"I have to." Goldilocks sounded desperate. "It's all I have."

"Then take up your stance." Kon-Mai raised her own blade.

Goldilocks got into a fencing position, and Kon-Mai wanted to scream. "No." was all she said instead, lowering her sword.

"What…?"

"What is this?" Kon-Mai gestured up and down. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready to duel?"

"Not with that saber, you aren't. Shamshirs are made to slash and cut. If you come at me tip first, how much damage do you think you will do?"

Goldilocks looked away. "...Not a lot?"

"Try it." Kon-Mai raised her blade, and as Goldilocks rushed her, Kon-Mai pushed her sword up and knocked the shamshir from her hand.

"And so you see the problem." She sheathed her own blade, beginning to wonder how the Commander's soldiers had managed to defeat her in the first place. At least their bullets hurt…

She made her way over to Goldilocks, coming up behind her. "Sword out."

Goldilocks seemed to grow anxious at Kon-Mai's presence behind her, but she complied stiffly. Kon-Mai took her arms and shifted them downwards

"Your sword must start low." She said, pushing her arm downward. "Keep your weight in your toes, not your heels. You will never be able to dodge me like that." She knelt. "Feet wide, bend one knee. More."

"This feels weird." Goldilocks complained.

"I have never missed a single strike." Kon-Mai said. "Do you think that is an attribute of my sword? No. It is how I wield it." She took hold of Goldilocks' arm. "You see now, don't you? It is heavy for you."

"My wrist is just weak."

"That, I can see." Kon-Mai felt it briefly. "You will need practice to wield this."

"I can do it." Goldilocks said with conviction.

"I shall not be soft." Kon-Mai said. "Your enemy will not hesitate, and neither shall I."

"...That's fine." Goldilocks nodded. "Just...don't kill me."

"I will certainly try not to." Kon-Mai unsheathed her sword again. The girl's stance was still awkward, but it was much better than before. It would do.

Kon-Mai beckoned her forward, and Goldilocks charged.

.

.

Elena pulled on her gloves, watching her wedding ring glisten in the light right before it was covered. She smiled a bit at the sight, then sighed. She'd be going on this mission without Pratal the first in a while. Senuna had been specific about that. Oddly specific.

It made Elena nervous.

Her team was a good one, at least from what had shown up. Marianna "Mari" Segal was someone she'd worked with before. She was a bit meek, but she had excellent aim and even better reflexes. She'd be a great Reaper if Elena could convince her to join, but she'd always give some vague excuse about not knowing enough about rifles. The only other person there was Flavius D'Onofrio, a beefy man who loved to talk, but who spoke mostly Italian, no matter who he was conversing with. Elena had taken to simply smiling and nodding whenever he was speaking.

They heard footsteps and she stood, ready to greet the last team member.

A tall, lanky blue figure greeted her, and Gur-Rai Madron smiled and crossed his arms. "Elena Dragunova? What a surprise. Looks like we're gonna be workmates."

"Fuck this." Elena said out loud, her arms falling limp in disbelief. "_No_."

Mari and Flavius looked confused, and Mari looked nervous. "Léna…?"

"You're not coming." She lifted her rifle and pointed it at Gur-Rai. "I don't care if the Commander escorts you here personally. YOU. ARE. NOT. COMING."

"Well, I didn't expect roses and chocolates, but a friendly hello would have been nice." Gur-Rai raised his hands, but it was mocking. "Aren't we all on the same team now?"

"You HUNTED my kind for sport." She snarled.

"So did Pratal Mox." Gur-Rai sneered. "And you seem to have forgiven _him_."

"Pratal worked to prove himself to me." She spat. "Give me one reason why I should trust you, when you have done nothing but lounge around our Avenger and gloat?!"

"Well Elena, you haven't given me a chance to prove myself." He shrugged innocently. "Perhaps this is where I surprise you."

"Or you turn on us and run back to ADVENT and your precious Elders!"

Now Gur-Rai growled, looking like a wild dog. "Don't you dare."

Elena actually startled at that, her body already wound up tighter than a spring. Gur-Rai's smile had dropped and his eyes glowed with murderous intent.

"I hate the Elders more than any of your kind could imagine, Elena. However much you think you long for their death, it's nothing compared to _my _fantasies, to the thought of their corpses burning in the wreckage of their precious palace." His fists were clenched.

Elena lowered her gun in shock, and Mari and Flavius looked at each other.

"Penso che sia serio." Flavius said. "He seems very serio."

Gur-Rai took a deep breath, his cheeky grin returning. "Just trust me, Elena. I'll have those ADVENT dogs squealing in no time."

Elena clenched her fists. She really wished Pratal was here, he had a way of calming her...

"Fine. Get in the chopper." She hissed. "All of you. We're already losing time."

.

.

Goldilocks hit the ground with a resounding thud and, before she could move, felt the tip of Kon-Mai's katana at her neck.

"Hm." The Chosen woman narrowed her eyes. "Much better."

"Better?" Goldilocks growled.

"Yes." Kon-Mai sheathed her sword. "I think you might have actually grazed me that time." She checked her arm. "Oh, perhaps not."

Goldilocks sighed. "...How are you so talented?"

"I was born for this reason and this reason only." Kon-Mai crossed her arms. "My entire body is honed like the edge of my blade."

"Then anyone who faces you is at a disadvantage." Goldilocks muttered sadly as she got to her feet.

"Yes." Kon-Mai agreed. "Just like humanity is at a disadvantage."

Goldilocks met her eyes, and Kon-Mai saw hopelessness. "Are we?"

"Yes…" Kon-Mai smiled. "But that is what makes you all so...admirable." She crossed her arms. "Here you are staring Death in the face...and you spit at it."

Goldilocks cracked a smile at that. "I guess. It is nice." She clasped her hands. "...We have nowhere to go. The Elders have other worlds...we just have this one."

Kon-Mai felt a small pang in her heart. She knew that feeling of hopelessness, of being completely cornered, with death on either side. Cornered in her own stronghold, knowing that death waited on the end of a gun. And if she somehow lived, it sat on her own mother's fingertips…

"Do you want to continue the training?" Kon-Mai asked.

Goldilocks seemed to think for a full minute before she faintly answered "Yes."

Kon-Mai smiled, clasped her hands and bowed to her student. "Return here at 6 o'clock in the morning in two days."

"Not...tomorrow?"

"No. I shall be on a mission then." Kon-Mai said.

Goldilocks nodded, then bowed to her awkwardly. "Thank you...um...what should I call you…?"

Kon-Mai opened her mouth, then closed it, completely unsure of how to answer.

.

.

Dhar-Mon heard footsteps approaching the door, and Malinalli stood up on the off chance it was Tygan coming to scold her for spending so much time with one patient. Instead, he heard her sigh in relief. "Hey, Kon-Mai."

"Hello, Malinalli." Dhar-Mon heard his sister's raspy voice and felt her sit beside him and take his hand. "How do you fare, Brother?"

He tried to squeeze her hand. The fingers barely moved. "You were gone when I awoke."

"I was in the gymnasium." She admitted.

"Oh? They have such things on this ship?" He sounded excited.

"It's a big ship!" Malinalli chimed in. "Believe me, I was surprised too!"

Kon-Mai chuckled. "Your hand feels tense."

She was on his right, and he wanted to tell her it didn't bother him because he could barely feel that hand, but Malinalli broke in again.

"Side effect of paralysis. The muscles have a tendency to tense up and the digits curl automatically. But Tygan says the numbness should go away in a few days." She quickly added before Kon-Mai could become upset.

"That sounds incredibly painful!" Kon-Mai scoffed. She was absentmindedly rubbing her thumb against his palm, the traction beginning to uncurl his finger.

"Do not worry for me." He insisted. "There is much I want to ask of you, Kon-Mai."

She seemed to startle. "...Of course." She said, obedient as ever. Even with only faint outlines he could tell she was sitting tall, like a proper lady. It made it all the more confusing.

"What happened the night you deserted the Elders?" He asked.

She grew very, very quiet. The room seemed to sink with the weight of what he asked. Even Malinalli was quiet.

"...How much can you see?" Kon-Mai asked.

"Hardly anything. But my left hand can feel."

She grabbed his left hand and he felt it pressed to her skin. For a moment he had to get his bearings, before he recognized the outline of her abdominal muscles.

And the jagged, angry scar that ran just above it.

"...Who did cause this…?" He looked up at her.

"It was by my own blade." She said, pulling her shirt back down and letting go of his hand.

"Why?" He almost whispered. His own baby sister? Attempting suicide?

"My sarcophagus had been shattered." She said. "And I was surrounded on all sides, guns were held to my face. I heard them talking and all I could think of, was the Elders." She hissed the word. "I wanted to live. I wanted to escape. But I had lost." She squeezed his palm tighter. "...And however much I feared XCOM and their bullets, moreso I feared the wrath of our parents."

"And so, to avoid that wrath…"

She made a noise of acknowledgement. "I took my katana in my hands, and plunged the blade into my belly. Death was my escape, my mercy…"

"But we made sure that didn't happen." Malinalli said. "You're lucky Lothar and I were along for the ride, he put pressure on the bleeding and kept all your Psytocrean glands from falling out while we transferred you to the stretcher and lifted you back to the Skyranger…" Malinali trailed off. "...Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt…"

Kon-Mai chuckled. "I could not have imagined XCOM would want to share their Avenger with a being such as myself. And now you have taken all of them~"

"Yes." Dhar-Mon reached over and patted her arm with his left hand. "...I am sorry, Sister, that you felt that way. I did not know."

"Yes, Brother, you did." She protested, but there was no malice in her voice. "Because you felt it too, did you not?"

And she was right. Because he had.

* * *

(We've begun to see the inner workings of the Elders, and our Chosen Three are well on their way to becoming soldiers of XCOM!

Today's chapter was posted now and not yesterday because of yesterday being Sympathy for the Devil's anniversary, and I didn't want to steal any attention away from that. I love how much support this itty bitty community has for it's authors.

I actually had a very different chapter planned for this week but it needed a bit of padding. Expect the unexpected very soon~)


	12. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

_"My head was warm  
My skin was soaked.  
I called your name, 'til the fever broke."_

Gur-Rai sang softly to himself as he peered through the scope of his rifle. The leaves of the trees tickled his cheeks as he sat up, looking through the green canopy with eagle eyes. He could see those giant red crates, like candied apples, ripe for the taking.

"I have a visual~" He sang into his comm.

_"Very good."_ Outrider seemed to sigh. _"Flavius, I need you to take up flanking on the right and be ready with the flamethrower. If we can't get the supplies, we at least ensure ADVENT can't either."_

_"Sì, Tenente."_ The very gruff Italian man replied.

_"Mari, you are with me."_

_"Yes, Lieutenant." _Her voice was soft and sweet.

"And what about me, Lieutenant?" Gur-Rai chuckled. "Don't _I_ get to do something fun?"

_"Stay there and cover us."_ Outrider growled. _"Do not move from that spot or I swear to God-"_

"Yes, ma'am." He sighed. "Really, Elena, I don't understand why you hate me so!"

She did not answer, but he could feel the weight of her anger through the phone.

_"Just keep us covered."_ Mari said. _"Please?"_

"Anything for you, my sweet." He looked down the scope again. "I would hurry though, I think our dear troopers see Flavius in his asshole-red armor."

_"Mari, Move out."_ Elena hissed.

The Darkstrider sighed, leaning his head back and staring up into the blue sky. It was the perfect day to be out here, the air was warm, the sky was bright, the wind was rustling in the trees…

_"I raised myself.  
My legs were weak.  
I prayed my mind, 'be good to me'."_

He hummed in the back of his throat. He was no singer by any means, but being out here made him whimsical. He took a deep, calm breath in, and then jumped when he heard a bang and Mari screaming over the comms.

"What happened?!" He shouted, looking down the scope.

_"Mari's hit!"_ Outrider snapped. _"I've been spotted! Flavius, prepare to torch-"_

"Hang on, Elena!" Gur-Rai jumped from his perch in the branches of the tree, landing in a squat. "I'm going in. Perhaps we can still pull this off."

_"No! Stay in the tree!"_ She snapped. He ignored her.

"Where is Mari?" He dashed through the treeline on his long, long legs, leaping over roots and logs with ease until he came to the edge of a clearing. With the reflexes of a cat, he scaled another tree, glancing down the iron sights again.

_"She's by the northernmost point, under that canopy."_ Outrider sounded tense. _"I need to get to her."_

"I have your back, Elena." He took a breath and held it, looking down his scope towards a crevice in two of the crate stacks. "On my mark."

_"I am in charge here!"_

"Well I have the high ground." Gur-Rai growled. "One...two…" He fired, his bullet slipping between the crates like a heat seeking missile and striking the farthest trooper in the back of the head. "NOW."

He saw a black figure dart across the battlefield, only getting about halfway there before his distraction wore off and they began shooting at her. Elena dove behind a few barrels and sank down to hide.

"On my mark." This time Elena didn't argue. "One...two…"

Then the branch he was standing on cracked and collapsed, sending him tumbling face-first into the ground. As he pulled himself to his knees, he felt bullets whizz above his head and he rolled away, taking cover behind the tree trunk.

_"I am waiting!"_

"I am BUSY." Gur-Rai pulled his pistol and began to shoot at the soldier that was rapidly approaching him. The first one missed. The second bullet did not miss.

_"There are rinforzi!"_ Flavius called out, and Gur-Rai heard that unmistakable hum of chopper blades above him.

_"Jrak."_ Gur-Rai hissed in Etheric on instinct. He poked his head out from around his tree, surveying the damage. Mari was still pinned down and any moment they'd be hauling her off to an ADVENT torture facility. Outrider was still hidden, though, and Flavius…

Gur-Rai hissed into his comm "Listen to me very carefully. Flav, point that flamethrower straight up."

_"Perché?"_

"Do it." He snapped. "Elena, on my mark, grab as many crates as you can carry, even it's it's only one."

_"Mari needs-"_

"I'll get Mari." He hissed. "Everyone go on my signal. One…"

He saw the troopers getting ready to drop…

"-twothrEENOW!" Gur-Rai bolted out from behind the tree and sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him. He crashed straight through a pile of crates and came out the other side with his gun cocked and aimed at the three troopers that were closing in on Mari. At point blank range, Darklance's blow was fatal, but he was too slow. While one fell, the other two turned to face him, and one rushed his position while the other one moved in to grab Mari. They reached her fast, grabbing the injured woman by the hair and pulling her toward them-

There was the sound of metal on metal as Mari put her Swiss army knife through the trooper's chin.

Meanwhile, the other soldier actually got close enough to smack Gur-Rai in the side of the neck with the butt of the gun, sending him reeling back, briefly stunned. _"Vhyata los Exlétos!"_ He heard them scream at him as he stumbled.

"No." He hissed as he gripped the handle of his machete. "Fuck YOU." He plunged the blade through the crease in their armor, between the shoulder and the neck, cutting right through their lung and probably their heart. As they fell, screaming, he shoved their body aside and picked up Mari, bridal style.

She was a wholefully beautiful woman, with dark copper skin and deep auburn hair, and her eyes were almost black when she opened them and looked up at Gur-Rai like he was made of gold.

He smiled at her and made it a point to noticeably wink. "Don't you worry about a thing, sweetheart. The Darkstrider's gotcha now."

They both flinched as an explosion sounded behind them, and fire began to rain from the sky.

"It seems like Flavius decided to do his job, finally." Gur-Rai darted into the trees, looking back as the clearing behind him burned.

"Where are you going?" Mari asked. "The rendezvous is the other way…"

"I know a shortcut." He mumbled, darting around trees so quickly the wind whipped his face. "Outrider?"

_"I have secured three of the crates."_ She sounded very upset but was hiding it. _"Come to the rendezvous point right now, Hunter."_

"Yes, Lieutenant. And it's _Darkstrider_ now." He smiled, but there was no joking in his voice. "Flavius, you can put your guns away. Time to hit the road."

_"The supplies are...very on fire." _Flavius said.

"Then leave them burning. Hopefully we'll get to see some fireworks as we fly away~" He crashed through some bushes and rounded a curve in the path to where the rendezvous was near.

There was a rustle in the trees, and the wind picked up as the Skyranger appeared above them, hanging in the air high above the treeline.

_"I can't get closer!"_ Firebrand called out. _"The trees are too thick!"_

"Then let down the ropes." Gur-Rai said. "And Marianna, hang onto me~"

She wrapped her arms round his neck, and gasped as Gur-Rai took a running leap and caught the first branch of the tree, scaling it like a monkey. He reached the top branch and pulled one rope close, handing it off to Mari.

"What about you?" She cried.

"I've got a job to finish." He winked at her again. "Now get on outta here."

She tugged on her rope, and Firebrand pulled her up.

Gur-Rai watched her get inside safely, then jumped back to the ground with a grunt just as Elena and Flavius came around the bend, lugging one and two large red boxes respectively.

"Give those to me." Gur-Rai said.

"I am taking this up." Elena almost sounded like an angry dog, the way she spoke to him.

"I'm sure you would make it very far, but you wanna make a bet on who's the better climber?" He raised a brow in her silence. "Didn't think so. Give me that box and I will take it up for you."

"What about me?" Flavius asked.

"Wait your turn." Gur-Rai gestured to the Skyranger. "Just get in, let me handle the cargo."

Elena hesitated. "...Flavius, give the _Darkstrider_ your cargo." She said his new callsign with malice in her voice.

Flavius stepped forward, handing Gur-Rai the boxes. Gur-Rai grimaced at Elena.

"You're going to fall and kill yourself."

"Then I shall die with honor." She snapped. "By not letting a cheap facsimile do my job for me." She tucked the crate under her arm and began to climb.

"Cheap?" He shook his head. "You'd call the Sistine chapel a knockoff, wouldn't you, Outrider?"

With two crates weighing him down, and one of his arms occupied, Outrider was almost as fast as him. However, he still made it to the top before her and tossed the supply crate up to where Flavius stood to catch it.

"Don't drop this, please." Gur-Rai grunted as he tossed it up. Luckily, Flavius was actually quite good at catching conspicuous red crates.

Outrider tossed up her cargo and grabbed onto her line, glaring at Gur-Rai out of the corner of her eye.

"Job well done." Gur-Rai said as he tugged on the rope, following up after her.

.

.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

Dhar-Mon squinted at Shen's hand, staring at it for a good few seconds. "...Five."

Both Kon-Mai and Shen looked at Shen's closed fist.

"He is technically not wrong." Kon-Mai chuckled, pressing her thumbs into Dhar-Mon's palm. The whole right side of his body was still nearly paralyzed, and although he was beginning to regain feeling in his limbs, Kon-Mai was taking it upon herself to massage out some of the sore tendons, although she had been at it so long her own fingers were starting to cramp up.

"The fact that he is able to see your hand at all means progress." Tygan said. "I don't think I need to reiterate that we did not expect him to wake up at all."

"You have said that, yes." Dhar-Mon looked over in Kon-Mai's direction. "Are you not tired?"

"I am fine." She smiled at him. "It is nice to spend some time together, I do believe the last time we spoke face to face, I had run headfirst into an ambush you'd planned for…" She trailed off, glancing warily at Shen. "...someone aside from me."

Shen smirked.

"Yet it is a relief to spend time with my siblings that does not involve us fighting..." Dhar-Mon trailed off, looking over to the door as it opened and Gur-Rai strolled in.

"Welcome home." Kon-Mai said, not looking up. "Did you retrieve the supplies as the Commander intended?"

"Well, I most definitely ensured they were no longer in ADVENT hands~" Gur-Rai mused.

Kon-Mai looked up finally. "...You destroyed them, didn't you?"

"In my defense, they were bringing in reinforcements, and one of my girls was down for the count." Gur-Rai plopped into a folding chair.

Kon-Mai groaned. "Of all the people they could have made one of us Chosen, I will never understand why you."

"Maybe it was my fetching smolder." He grinned and waved at his brother. "Good afternoon, Dhar-Mon. Can you see me yet?"

Dhar-Mon closed his eyes. "I am afraid not."

"You wound me." Gur-Rai chuckled. "And I came all this way to pay my respects to _lau Madron_." He bowed comically.

"You have odd ways of showing respect, Brother." Dhar-Mon said with a sigh.

"You're right." Gur-Rai stood up and took Dhar-Mon's left hand.

"You guys are cute." Shen giggled. "Hey Doc, I'm gonna head out. Will I see you tonight?"

"I believe you know I don't enjoy such gatherings." Tygan retorted. "Besides, I have to attend to the Warlock, he is still not as stable as I'd like."

"Simply Dhar-Mon, if you please." Dhar-Mon called out.

Gur-Rai looked over to Shen. "Gathering?"

"Oh right! You guys probably don't know." She gently slapped her forehead. "Sorry. Every weekend, usually Friday or Saturday but occasionally on Sunday, the Commander has a _big _party in the canteen for all the soldiers on the ship. There's music and food and dancing, and…" She giggled. "Well, other stuff. You gotta see it for yourself."

Gur-Rai's eyes sparkled. "That sounds lovely." He smiled at Kon-Mai. "What do you think?"

She hesitated for a moment, contemplating her answer. "...I seem to remember us attending a number of parties in our time with ADVENT."

"Oh yes~" Gur-Rai sighed and leaned back, waving at Shen as she quietly slipped out the door. "I remember one time-"

"Do not tell that story!" Dhar-Mon groaned.

"Can't stop me now!" Gur-Rai turned to Tygan. "One time, ADVENT invited a bunch of old world theologians to this one party to try and convert them, and they had this one guy there, who was a Scientologist in his past life. Well, my dear brother gets to talking with him-"

Dhar-Mon covered his eyes with his left hand and Kon-Mai giggled.

"-And next thing I know Dhar-Mon has this guy in a fucking chokehold, the guy is STILL fucking blabbing about how the Earth is flat or some bullshit like that, one thing leads to another and the Scientologist is laying in the remains of the salad bar!" Gur-Rai was laughing hysterically.

"I am not proud of it." Dhar-Mon muttered, turning purple.

"Well, it served him right." Kon-Mai crossed her arms. "He was insufferable."

"I don't remember any parties I attended being that...rambunctious." Tygan mused.

"Thankfully not." Kon-Mai sighed. "I always enjoyed myself. Though many times I was asked to dance by people who had no interest in...dancing."

"And somehow they ended up in the dumpster out back~" Gur-Rai smiled. "I remember. What DID you like about those parties?"

Kon-Mai smiled wistfully. "The people who attended. I always loved to observe the daily lives of our citizens, and these parties always attracted the most…" She looked to Dhar-Mon "...colorful. A conversation with one person you would never have spoken to otherwise, and suddenly one's mind can be opened to a world of new possibilities."

Gur-Rai was smirking. "Hey...we should go to that party tonight. As a treat."

"As delightful as that sounds, I'm afraid I am...indisposed." Kon-Mai shook her head.

"Oh come on." Gur-Rai whined. "You can't camp in the infirmary forever!"

"I am not! Besides, I am going out on another mission tomorrow. I must retire early tonight."

"Well, fine." Gur-Rai gave Dhar-Mon's hand a gentle squeeze and let go. "I'LL go and let you know all the fun you missed."

"You might wanna be careful though." Tygan called to him.

"Of what?"

"Of the other, very human soldiers." He raised a brow. "Unless you've already forgotten you are still very tall, blue and alien looking."

Kon-Mai gave him an uneasy look, expecting him to continue talking. Instead, Tygan returned to what he was doing

Gur-Rai looked back to his sister. "You're sure you don't want to go? It sounds like a lot of fun~"

Kon-Mai bit her lip. "...Go on without me, Gur-Rai."

He shrugged, waved to them, and disappeared down the hall.

Kon-Mai sighed, shaking out her hand. "What am I to do with him?"

"He is a...special case." Dhar-Mon tried to reach back to adjust his pillow but Kon-Mai beat him to it, helping him sit up a little better.

"I wonder how long until the Commander will want to see you." She mused.

"I hope it will not be long. I still have much to discuss with her…" Dhar-Mon's voice sounded sad. "But I fear she may hesitate, after I surrendered with no fight…"

"Why _did_ you surrender, Brother?" Kon-Mai pulled some of his hair away from his face, smoothing it back. "You love the Elders more than Gur-Rai and I combined. While I am happy for this outcome, I did not expect you to stray willingly."

Dhar-Mon chuckled. "It was a combination of many factors. Perhaps beginning upon your...demise." He cleared his throat. "Or what the Elders told of it. Gur-Rai did not believe them."

"That's not unusual." Kon-Mai leaned on her hand, propping her elbow up on the bed. "But why YOU, Brother?"

He thought for a moment. "...The human girl."

"Malinalli?"

"Yes. She...wore me down into submission. Her constant visits, combined with the suffering of the people I cared for, and when she offered a hand in friendship, it was my first real comfort. She was a near constant companion to me."

Kon-Mai chuckled. "Well, that must have been simply unbearable." She said sarcastically.

"It was…" His voice dropped. "...It was very painful to know the truth, it always is…" His voice cracked. "I _believed_ in the Elders, Kon-Mai."

She ran her finger up over his wrist. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to jest…"

He shook his head. "I knew leaving with her would invoke their wrath but...I simply did not care." He swallowed with difficulty. He'd still been having trouble with his throat. "Because no matter what I said, she was always there. She never hurt me for speaking my feelings. Not like they did..."

"She is a blessing on this world." Kon-Mai smiled. "I wonder why she chooses to roam with soldiers."

"Her purpose is absolute." Dhar-Mon said with confidence. "I believe she knows what she does is right."

There was silence for a moment.

"And what about you, Sister?" Dhar-Mon asked. "Why did you choose to stray from the Elders' embrace?"

Kon-Mai sighed. "Perhaps...it was the experience of being so near death. Perhaps it was seeing my name covered in red ink, abandoned by those who said they loved me." She sighed. "But the longer I spend away from them, the clearer my thoughts become."

Dhar-Mon looked confused.

"They nearly killed you." She hissed. "They violated their promise to us. They punished us for hurting one another and yet once they had no use for us, they…" She broke off, blinking back tears and taking deep breaths. "They are hypocrites, and even worse, they have _no honor_."

"The horror." Tygan chuckled.

"It is no joke! They instilled a sense of honor in me only to break that code themselves?" She shook her head. "They have committed the sin of filicide: they brought us into this world only to strike us down! A betrayal like that deserves the harshest punishment, and I shall deliver it upon them with my _blade_!"

"Sister…" Dhar-Mon reached up with his left hand and stroked her arm. "You must calm yourself."

"I am perfectly calm!" She growled. Still, she took a minute to compose herself.

"It sounds like you've been worrying about this a lot." Tygan said. "Maybe Darkstrider is right in that you need a break."

Kon-Mai rolled her eyes. "I'm not doing anything strenuous."

"Physically, no, but being in this environment can be mentally taxing after a while." He looked at Dhar-Mon.

"Kon-Mai, it is my wish that you accompany our brother to the gathering tonight." Dhar-Mon said. "...As a treat."

She looked nervous. "I can't do that, Brother. What about you?"

"I shall be fine." He assured her. "I am not doing anything strenuous, as you said."

"And I will be here." Tygan said. "If anything happens, I am perfectly capable of taking care of it."

Kon-Mai bit her lip.

"You always did like to dress up." Dhar-Mon said. "Go to the event, Kon-Mai. I insist."

She sighed. "Well...I suppose someone needs to keep Gur-Rai from starting a riot."

.

.

Kon-Mai tied her hair behind her head in a mid-level bun, securing it with a purple ribbon. She wished she had some rouge or lipstick to pretty herself up a bit more, but at least she looked presentable. She sighed, smoothing down her tunic and looking at herself in the mirror.

Might as well get this over with.

She stepped out into the hallway and locked eyes with a short, black haired boy. "Oh." He said. "You're going to the party too?"

She nodded. "...Mithridates, is it?"

"Um...yeah." He bowed slightly. "Kon...Kon-Mai?"

She nodded.

They stared at each other in silence for a few awkward seconds.

"...Wanna walk together?" He asked.

"I suppose." She joined him at his side and the two made their way over in silence, their footsteps echoing on the metal floor of the Avenger.

"So…" Mithridates coughed.

"I hear you are the one who neutralized my brother." Kon-Mai mused.

"I...uh…"

She smiled. "That takes significant talent."

"I just...push some buttons sometimes." He shrugged. "The others did the hard work."

"If it had not been for you, they would have failed in their mission." Kon-Mai nodded. "Although, is it not odd to see him fighting alongside your comrades?"

Mithridates sighed. "It's a little weird, but the Skirmishers joining was also weird so I've kind of seen everything by now." He shrugged again, his shoulders coming up to his ears. "I'm down for anything that gets the Elders out of here."

"On that, we agree." Kon-Mai growled. "How long have you been fighting this war, Child?"

"I was...um…" He counted on his fingers. "I'm 21 now, so...I think since I was 16? The Skirmishers joined up with us right after I came aboard, so I was still pretty new when this all started."

"You are very young, then."

"I guess. I mean, how old are you?"

Kon-Mai almost stopped. "...I was born six months after my brother, and when the Commander escaped, he was nearly five." She did the math in her head. "...Plus the five years you have been hunting us? That makes...Nine." She said confidently. "I have been alive, as the Assassin, for nine years."

"As the Assassin?"

"I do not know what life I may..." _Or may not_, her mind whispered to her "...have had before I was taken by the Elders. As far as dates are concerned, I consider my awakening the day of my...birth."

Mithridates nodded. "What day is that? Like, do you know the date?"

"Either February 3rd, or February 4th. I tend towards the 4th most years."

"Oh, well, happy early birthday."

She looked puzzled. "I don't see why it's happy. It's simply the day of my birth, nothing more."

"Yeah well." Mithridates crossed his arms. "I think you've noticed we humans like to find excuses to celebrate things."

"Not just humans." She smirked. "Although perhaps my brother is more human than Ethereal..."

"Oh, will we be seeing your brothers there?" He asked, sounding...almost hopeful.

"Gur-Rai, yes. Dhar-Mon is still recovering." She sighed. "Perhaps I do worry too much, but I simply can't help it."

"I mean, the Warlock almost died right?"

"Yes, but he is in good hands. Right now I worry for Gur-Rai…"

"How come?"

"He seems to forget who..._what _he is." She crossed her arms. "I fear the other humans will not accept him, and it will lead to conflict."

They rounded a corner, the sounds of music blaring from the canteen, and stared through the open doors. Not many had arrived yet, although the room was quickly filling with people. Kon-Mai could see Gur-Rai across the room, sitting in silence, a scowl on his face. Surrounding him, three gruff Reapers. They seemed to stare him down, their eyes drilling into him. The music was low and the room was dark, and he looked down, then looked back up and bared his teeth.

Kon-Mai went for her dagger…

Then Gur-Rai spread the cards in his hand across the table. "Read 'em and weep, boys."

"God dammit." One of them said as they all groaned. Gur-Rai chuckled and pulled the loot towards him.

"You're trickier than a Templar, Madron."

"It's your fault for trusting me." Gur-Rai flipped one of the coins into the air and caught it.

"You know…" Mithridates smiled at Kon-Mai "I think he'll be just fine."

She ignored him and marched up to her brother, scowling. As she got closer, she saw that there was a crowd of people boxing him in: two women were seated on the bench beside him, close enough to be touching and rubbing up against him, while a few others were eyeing him like he was prime rib. Gur-Rai, with an arm around one girl and his cards in the other hand, did not seem to mind the attention at all.

He seemed to hear her coming and looked up, smiling and waving her over. "Sister, you came!" He said joyfully. "Gentlemen! And ladies. I assume you know of my sister?"

"Yeah, the hot one." One of the Reaper men across from him said.

"You hold your tongue." Gur-Rai seemed to joke, but his glare had a hint of real anger to it. "Sister, we're playing Poker, care to join?"

She looked around at the table. "A card game?"

"Yes, a card game." He winked. "This round is gonna be double or nothing!"

"I have never played before." She shook her head. "I do not know the rules. Is there a point system?"

"You try and get the best combo from your two hold cards and five community cards." One of the other Reapers said. "What you really wanna get is a straight or a flush. You start opposite the dealer and move clockwise, and if you get to the small blind-"

"Well, that sounds _very_ interesting, but I shall decline." Kon-Mai smiled forcefully, her head beginning to hurt from the unfamiliar terminology.

Gur-Rai tossed her a chip. "Get yourself a drink, Sister, on me."

"How much is the cost?"

"It's free. I just wanted to do that." He turned back to the game, where the Reaper most to the left was dealing the cards again.

"Why don't you buy _me _a drink?" One woman whined like a small child, laying her head on Gur-Rai's chest.

"Darling, if I win this next round, I'll get you far more than that." He purred in her ear.

Turning away from the frankly revolting scene before her, Kon-Mai made her way to the bar, where a few other singles and couples were standing around, mingling. As she drew closer, the chatter stopped and they all turned, glaring in her direction, and in that moment she remembered what Tygan had said.

_Don't forget how alien you are._

She moved off to the corner where the bar curved around into a shadowed area, the lights above her flickering and broken. Under the cover of darkness she felt a bit more secure, until the bartender, a pale woman with hair like fire, came strolling up.

"Good to see ya again, sugar."

Kon-Mai gave her a confused look. "We have never met…"

"Oh, right. You were out of commission last time you rode with me." She smiled, her deep orange hair framing her round face. "In my plane they call me Firebrand. Down here, though, I'm Bryni Lyndon. Nice to meet ya!"

"The pilot of the Skyranger?" Kon-Mai asked in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, when I ain't flying I like to work behind the counters." She leaned forward. "Reminds me of back home."

"What strange world do you come from?" Kon-Mai chuckled

"Texas." She chuckled, flipping a rag off her belt and wiping down the bar in front of Kon-Mai. "I miss the old wood smell, sometimes. Sunny was real nice to build all this in here but...ain't nothin' like the real thing." She picked up a glass. "Now, what can I get ya, darlin'?"

"I do not enjoy the taste of alcohol." Kon-Mai wrinkled her nose.

"We got other drinks, too!" Bryni said cheerfully. "We got soda, juices, plain old water..."

Kon-Mai blinked, unsure how to even begin. "...Well, normally I drink tea..."

"We got Iced Tea. Is Iced Tea okay?"

"Iced...Tea?"

"It's tea, but they put ice in it and it makes it cold."

Kon-Mai stared at her, wide eyed. "...I had no idea this was possible."

"You ain't been out much, have ya?" Bryni giggled at the Chosen's obvious surprise. "I'll get that started for ya."

Kon-Mai leaned forward on the bar, sighing as she gazed around her. The music, she soon noticed, was not from a digital player, but from three men in the corner playing various instruments, a piano, bass cello and some kind of handpan. Occasionally one would sing a few notes, but it was not dedicated. Their eyes were closed and their bodies and hands moved not by the command of any sheet music, but seemingly on their own. One would occasionally stumble, but the way it blended in with the song was immaculate.

Just as the bartender handed Kon-Mai a tall glass of dark brown liquid, filled with ice, one of the men called out "Bryni! You're up!"

Bryni sighed. "That's my cue. If ya need anything, ol' Jacob is gonna be taking over for me."

Kon-Mai couldn't even ask what was happening before the fire-haired pilot ran out from behind the bar and hopped up on the stage, the handpan man coming down to step behind the bar in her place. He gave Kon-Mai a wary look and scooted away, keeping far on the other side of the bar, where most of the patrons had migrated to. Away from Kon-Mai.

Bryni tapped her foot. "Ready, Luc?" She took a breath, and the music picked up.

_"There's a fire starting in my heart,  
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark.  
Finally I can see you crystal clear,  
Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare."_

Kon-Mai noticed the people around her beginning to tap their feet in time, some of them even going out to dance. She sipped her tea silently, hearing a cheer go up from the table Gur-Rai was at. She wondered if he was winning.

Her feet beginning to hurt from standing so long, Kon-Mai took her drink and sat down at one of the empty tables, still in the corner, secluded. From her corner, she could see everyone as they mingled in the bar, some dancing, some talking, some already beginning to engage in romantic touches. Occasionally, someone would glance over at her and whisper something, or point, or even leave the moment they noticed her, and for a moment she felt like a gangrenous sore, bothering everyone around her.

She felt the bench beside her dip as her brother plopped down beside her, sighing in satisfaction. "There you are! You missed the final round. Things got very messy~"

"I take it you won?" Kon-Mai barely looked up at him.

"Never doubt me." He kicked his feet up onto the table and tossed the colorful chips from one hand to the other. "They didn't stand a chance."

"Do those have any value at all?"

"I doubt it. But the girls were using them to trade for trinkets so who really knows." He chuckled, looking around the bar. "Who knew humans were this much fun? Wonder what else the Elders were keeping from us."

"Let us not speak of them here." Kon-Mai sipped her drink.

Gur-Rai looked over to her. "...Are you having fun, Sister?"

"Why are you so concerned?" She used her straw to jab at the ice in her drink.

"Because I want you to relax." He said. "You're always worried about us, and I worry when you worry."

Kon-Mai looked up in surprise, half expecting him to be joking. But Gur-Rai's eyes were sincere.

"You do?"

"Mhm." He put one hand behind his head. "No jokes. I can't do anything to ease your mind, Sis, and that sucks. It really does."

"...How long have you felt this way?"

"Since the Elders brought you out from the tank and said 'Look Gur-Rai, that's your _little sister._" He chuckled. "I'M supposed to be protecting YOU."

"You can barely protect yourself." She laughed audibly, then took a breath. "...Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes I am having fun." She relaxed back in the booth. "I like observing the people around me. They are so...colorful."

"They truly are." Gur-Rai nodded over at a man standing in the corner. "And beautiful."

Kon-Mai looked where he was looking. The man, a tall figure with a strong, square chin, a short black buzzcut and a colorful scarf, was looking at Gur-Rai the way those girls had been. His eyes scanned the Chosen up and down, flicking to Kon-Mai for less than half a second before lingering on Gur-Rai again. Gur-Rai raised a brow, and the man smiled.

"Well, that's my cue." Gur-Rai stood.

"Where are you going?" Kon-Mai asked, looking up at him.

"Well that depends, Sister. When I die, probably Hell. But right now I'm going to buy _him_ a drink." He winked. "Wish me luck."

Gur-Rai disappeared into the crowd, and Kon-Mai crossed her legs and leaned back, watching as the music began to get faster than before. Bryni was still singing.

_"I ain't got time for you baby; either you're mine or you're not.  
Make up your mind sweet baby; right here, right now's all we got._

_A little party never killed nobody, so we gon' dance until we drop,  
A little party never killed nobody, right here, right now's all we got!"_

Kon-Mai sighed, laying her head back as she watched her. More people were joining the fray now, seeming to ignore her in favor of partaking in the celebrations. It was a happy change.

Kon-Mai took another sip of her tea and leaned on her hand, observing the humans as they danced. A few girls were dancing together in a circle, each one alternating being in the center. Two men sat at the bar, flinging back drinks down their throats. A young person in a colorful dress was dancing the flamenco. Some Reapers seemed to be fistfighting, but in time to the music. The people around her spun in color and light and darkness.

"Pardon me…"

Kon-Mai turned. Beside her stood- "Pratal Mox?" She said in surprise.

The Skirmisher avoided her gaze and she could see he was trembling.

She cleared her throat. "You are the last person I expected to see here."

"My wife likes these parties, I am here with her." He coughed.

"Your wife." She smiled. "How...charming."

He stood there in silence. Kon-Mai opened her mouth and began to speak, right as Mox did the same.

"Excuse me." She said gesturing for him to continue.

"No, no, you first."

"Fine then. Please sit." As he sat in one of the chairs across from her, she took a deep breath. "I...owe you an apology. For taking you captive."

"_Mordenna_, I-"

"No, do not use my title." She insisted. "I no longer lord over you. In fact, Sergeant, YOU now outrank ME." She met his eyes. "I am sorry for the hurt I caused you, and for my reckless slaughter of your people. I could insist I was misguided, brainwashed by demons, but that will not bring back dead friends." She put her drink down and leaned forward. "My hope is, if we cannot become friends, you will at least hear my words and understand their sincerity."

He shook his head. "...Kon-Mai. You have hurt me, I have hurt you, I propose we simply...call it even."

"Even…?"

"That we start over from the beginning." He clarified. "It would be as though we have never met."

"You have not hurt me, Mox." She said, confused. "Not nearly as much."

He opened his mouth, thought for a minute, then sighed. "We could debate that. But I accept your apology, Kon-Mai Mordenna, and I am privy to acting as though none of our previous interactions happened."

"If that is what you wish." Kon-Mai bowed to him.

Another awkward silence, Kon-Mai buried her face in her tea.

"Ah!" Mox waved someone over. "Here comes my wife now!" He waved his hand. "Lenka!"

Kon-Mai looked up just as Elena Dragunova walked over with two drinks, plunking one on the table beside Mox. "Sorry that took me so long."

"It is no worry." He kissed her cheek and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to sit beside him.

Elena looked over to Kon-Mai. "...Pratal?"

"Yes, my wife?"

"Why are we sitting with _her_?" Elena glared daggers at the Chosen woman, and Kon-Mai immediately understood that Mox was not who she had to worry about. It was Elena she'd have to convince.

"I was giving your husband my apologies." Kon-Mai responded. "That my actions towards him and his people were wrong."

"Oh, is that so?" She leaned forward. "You changed your tone quite quickly then, praising the Elders one minute and begging forgiveness the next. That isn't suspicious at all…"

Kon-Mai met Elena's eyes. "I extend the same to you, Lieutenant Dragunova." She bowed her head. "I offer my deepest apologies for my behavior."

"Right." Elena sneered. "And I should believe you?"

"Elena…" Mox muttered. "What more can she do?"

"I'm just not entirely convinced she and her brothers are serious." Elena asserted confidently. "What made you of all people jump ship, _Vox Prima_?"

Kon-Mai leaned back. "Tell me what you require of me, Lieutenant, and it shall be done, if it means your trust is won." She trailed off as, faintly, the sound of yelling could be heard over the music.

"What the hell?" Elena looked up, right as there was a loud crash. "Oh god dammit, a fight." She looked back at Kon-Mai. "Alright, you. You want to win my trust? Help me break this up before they kill each other."

"I can most certainly do that~" Kon-Mai grinned widely.

Both women jumped to their feet, pushing past the other patrons as they ran over to the bar. Kon-Mai could see two women locked in a wrestling match, pulling on hair and clothing, kicking and biting and doing whatever they could to get an edge over the other. In the midst of the flurry, she recognized one girl as having been draped over Gur-Rai during his poker game, and made a beeline for that one, while Elena grabbed hold of the other.

Kon-Mai wedged her body between the two, grabbing the girl's arm and twisting it behind her. The girl was strong, as any XCOM soldier would be, and managed to land a painful kick to Kon-Mai's thigh, but the Chosen brought her knee up to the woman's stomach and flipped her over, pinning her to the floor with her foot.

"What the hell is going on?!" Elena demanded, holding the other girl in a stranglehold. "Ludy? Explain yourself!"

"She was flirting with him!" Ludy screamed from the floor. She got to her knees but Kon-Mai grappled her arms behind her, making it impossible to move. "He's _my man_, bitch! He told me himself!"

"Your man? You don't have a man!" The woman Elena was grappling spat.

"I do, now!" Ludy hissed. "Lenka, this Templar bitch was putting her hands all over my new boyfriend and you KNOW how much that means to me!"

"Gur-Rai's MY boyfriend! He won me a toothbrush!"

"Well he won ME a mechanical pencil!"

Kon-Mai groaned. Of course her brother started this.

"Well, I don't see him here." Elena sighed. "Why should I believe either of you?"

"Because this crazy whore scared him off!" The girl Elena had pinned spat at Ludy.

Ludy writhed in Kon-Mai's hands. "I will rip your fucking tits off, you cunt!"

"ENOUGH!" Elena barked with an authority that silenced everyone in the bar. "You are acting like children! You are soldiers, carry yourselves with some respect!"

"If Gur-Rai is the one who started this…" Kon-Mai interjected "Then I say, we have him settle it."

"Yeah!" Ludy nodded. "He'll vouch for me!"

"Do you know where he is?" Elena asked. She looked around the canteen. "Has anyone seen a tall blue Chosen? Bald, wears a hood, very prominent chin?"

"He's bald?" Ludy asked quietly.

Kon-Mai thought for a moment, letting Ludy go. "...Follow me, Elena." She gestured toward the back of the room. "You." She pointed at the two women. "This battle shall not resume until my brother is once again present. Agreed?"

"Try and stop us." Ludy stuck her tongue out.

"Ludy." Elena barked, then smirked. "Don't say that, she'll follow through on it."

To hammer home the point, Kon-Mai drew her dagger and smiled.

"We'll stay here." The Templar woman crossed her arms. "This bitch fights dirty anyway."

The music began again, a bit softer this time, as Kon-Mai pulled Elena towards a more secluded corner. "Does this canteen have...private areas?"

Elena thought for a moment. "...There are some small dining areas that are closed off." She mused. "The Commander sometimes uses them."

"Where are they?"

"This way." Elena tugged her arm and the two women moved toward the back, the music picking up slowly as though nothing happened.

They made it to the easternmost wall in the back of the canteen, behind some old jukeboxes and a drum set that was gathering dust. Elena opened a door that creaked like it had never seen oil in it's life, and they stepped into a dark and musty hallway with grey metal walls, interspersed with large curtains made of rich, red velvet.

Kon-Mai looked around at the curtains. "This is very…"

"Extra?"

"...Yes." She reached out and touched one, noticing it was tethered to the wall. "Why is this necessary on a warship?"

"That's the Commander, for you. She used to be in showbiz." Elena felt along the curtain. "Where's the opening to this damn thing…?"

Kon-Mai began to search as well. Through the curtain, she could hear soft noises but couldn't put a finger on what they were. Holding her breath, she pressed her ear close to the cloth.

She definitely heard the raspy sound of Gur-Rai's voice, and a slightly louder one she didn't recognize. Searching for words, she found none. It sounded more like gentle moans…

"Found it." Elena grabbed the edge of the curtain. "One, two-"

Kon-Mai flung aside the curtain and stomped inside, only to immediately halt and cover her face, barely stifling her scream. "Brother, you're naked!"

Elena covered her eyes. Her brother was, indeed, very naked. He sat back, sprawled across one of the red leather booths with the male trooper she had seen eyeing him, who also very naked, straddling him. His partner was obscuring most of the indecency, but this was still more of Gur-Rai than Elena or Kon-Mai had ever wanted to see.

Gur-Rai sneered as he saw them, shoving his partner aside and grabbing his pants. "Would it _kill you_ to knock?"

"On what? There's no door." Elena muttered. "For a former Reaper, you don't know much about hiding."

Kon-Mai looked to Elena in confusion. "Former what?"

Elena brushed her off. "What the hell are you two doing?"

"Take a wild fucking guess." Gur-Rai snapped as his partner disappeared under the table, searching for his own discarded clothes.

"Do you have no modesty, Brother?!" Kon-Mai whined. "You are practically out in the open!"

"I had thought we were very well hidden. After all, it took you this long to find me." Gur-Rai stood and buttoned his pants. "Now I assume you have a good reason to interrupt me? I was right about to finish~"

Elena gagged.

"Two of your other…" Kon-Mai slowly peeked through her fingers as she searched for the words "...paramours are fighting for your approval at the bar."

"Your what?" The soldier poked his head up from under the table.

"My what?" Gur-Rai echoed him.

"The two young women you seemed to give affection to just minutes before." Kon-Mai dropped her hand and let it rest on her hip. "Or did you forget them so easily?"

Gur-Rai sighed. "Well, damn. Time to do some damage control, I suppose."

"Hey." The soldier said as he walked past, his hand conspicuously sliding across Gur-Rai's backside. "I'll wait here for you, kay?"

"And I will not be long~" Gur-Rai winked as he pulled on his sweater, throwing the hood up and stalking over to his sister. He saw Elena glaring at him with eyes that could skin him alive, and he smiled at her. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I never asked if you wanted to join us?" He gestured back to the booth where the other man still waited.

"I am married, you little-!" She bit her lip, turned on her heel and stalked away.

Gur-Rai whistled. "She _really_ doesn't like me."

"I cannot imagine why." Kon-Mai rolled her eyes.

.

.

With the turning of the hours, the music had begun to slow again. Bryni was back behind the bar, and the band was playing a slow, soft jazz tune. One of them had a saxophone and the soft hum of it was beginning to lull Kon-Mai to sleep. The hour was becoming late.

Gur-Rai was seated beside her once again, drink in hand and feet on the table, eyes glued to Elena as she and Mox swayed slowly on the dance floor. Her head was on his shoulder, and his hand was laid gently on her back.

"I believe that one is taken, Brother." Kon-Mai said.

"Yeah…" He sighed, and she saw something deeper in his eyes. Rarely did she see such a look on her brother's face, but the lines carved by the darkness spelled out something very sad.

She looked up and down. "Why are you sad?"

"I'm not sad." He chugged his drink. "I just have resting bitch face."

"Did you not have fun with your partner?" She questioned further.

"We had fun." He trailed off. "...I don't think I'll see him again though."

"Oh? But you seemed so fond of him."

"Yeah." He yawned. "But...you know."

"I really do not know." She looked over him. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm not sad." He repeated.

She didn't believe him for a second, but she also didn't want to badger him about it and have his sadness turn to anger. "...Alright Brother." She turned back towards the floor, watching as the warm lights melted the colors of the people together.

The music stopped as the click of high-heeled shoes echoed in the room. "Sorry I'm late, everyone!"

Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai both turned and stared, mouths agape, at the Commander.

Senuna's silver dress caught the light, reflecting back a rainbow of colors in the strings of sequins that hung off it. The make-up around her eyes was a kaleidoscope of sparkling blue and purple and green with hints of red. Her hair was pulled back by a blue ribbon that circled her head like a crown. No one would guess this was the Commander of XCOM, she looked more like a queen.

"Oh, don't stop the music because of me." She giggled. "I'm not here to ruin the fun!"

"You know how it is, Commander." Bryni gestured to the stage. "She's all yours."

Senuna beamed as she walked over to the stage and hopped up like a cheerful bunny. "It's so wonderful to see you all here tonight!"

A cheer went up.

"Now, how about we get this party started?" She turned to the band. "You boys remember my old song 'Ritual'?"

"How could we forget?" Ol' Joseph said with a beaming smile. "Was your biggest hit back in the day!"

"Well then, hit it boys!" She cheered.

They played a few notes on their instruments, and the handpan man gave a beat. "One, two, onetwothree-"

The music, a lighthearted bop, began. Senuna closed her eyes, her body swaying with the music, then she opened her mouth and sang.

_"Too hot, too deep  
It's you, it's me  
Too wired to sleep  
Oh yeah,  
One thing, to need  
Three words I speak  
When you're with me, babe…"_

Gur-Rai nearly choked on his drink and Kon-Mai's sat forward. "I had no idea she had such a voice…"

"I'll say." Gur-Rai sounded just as awestruck. "She's freaking incredible. And this song is a bop!"

_"Oh come on, come on, however I act  
You how much I care  
Come on, come on, you know what I want  
Now meet me if you dare  
Live on the run, live on the run, run  
Do anything to be there...Be there…"_

Kon-Mai put down her tea and stood up, Gur-Rai watching her with narrowed eyes.

"Where're you going?" He asked.

She held out her hand. "Come, dance with me."

He blinked at her. "...What?"

"You, Brother. Come dance. With me."

He laughed. "You're kidding."

"Is there a rule that says we cannot?"

"No. But can you even dance?"

"Perhaps I can. But you will not know until you come with me."

Gur-Rai stared at her hand, then rolled his eyes. "Fine, but if you make a fool of yourself, don't blame me." He got to his feet and the two pushed their way onto the floor, which was becoming slightly crowded with the number of patrons the Commander's singing brought.

_"And I'll always say ya name like a prayer  
Oh, when you touch me there  
Oh, you'll always be my ritual  
Always, love you all through the night  
Be there when the sun is rising  
Oh you'll always be my ritual!"_

The two stood facing each other, a greater distance apart than most, and just stared for a moment. Gur-Rai gestured towards her, letting her take the lead, and Kon-Mai grinned.

If her brother doubted her, she would prove him wrong.

She closed her eyes, waiting a moment. And in that moment, it was just her and the music. She raised her hands above her head and…

_"Always, love you all through the night  
Be there when the sun is rising  
Oh you'll always be my ritual!"_

She didn't know where this feeling came from, but her body felt like water as she moved her hips round and round, her arms in the air, her hair flying free. She opened her eyes and saw Gur-Rai copying her moves. He looked stupid and beautiful and free and she burst out laughing, with joy and relief.

_"Oh you'll always be my ritual!"_

She and the humans were one and the same, one entity, each moving on their own, each adding their own color and sound. It was purple and white and blue and black and green and red and purple again.

It was them. This was them.

Kon-Mai met Senuna's cyan eyes, and the mysterious woman smiled.

_"Oh you'll always be my ritual,  
You'll always be my ritual!"_

* * *

(I hope you guys enjoyed this one! I thought I was gonna have to rework it more than I actually did, I realized while editing a lot more of it was salvageable. That's writing for you!

Songs used, in order of appearance, were: Hozier's In The Woods Somewhere, Adele's Rolling in the Deep, Fergie's All We Got, and Tiësto, Jonas Blue, Rita Ora's Ritual.)


	13. They Call Me the Shrine Maiden

**_(Content Warning: This chapter contains brief descriptions of mensuration/menstrual blood)_**

When the Assassin awoke from a dreamless sleep to a still dark room, she felt deep in her bones something was wrong.

She began to reach for her blade, but the sudden movement made her gasp in pain, and for a moment she felt panic, reaching down to feel her scarred stomach. Had her stitches ripped? She had thought them healed.

No, the scar was as firm as ever, holding everything in place. Yet, as consciousness returned to her, the stabbing pain in her stomach grew in intensity.

"By the stars, please don't let it be…" She reached her hand down lower, and when she brought it up bloody, she hissed.

She had forgotten all about _this_.

Kon-Mai slowly sat up, careful not to touch her sheets with her bloody hand, but as she turned the light on she saw that the effort was futile. Her bedsheets were already soaked down to the very mattress, rendering the entire set useless. Those stains were likely never going to come out, and were probably going to give whoever was charged with cleaning them a heart attack.

Standing up slowly, she held onto the side table. Her legs were tingling and everything below her midsection was wrought with incredible pain. She hissed again as she made her way to the bathroom, peeling her underclothes off as she went.

She never understood the reason why this happened. It seemed so counterintuitive, the way it left her helpless for hours on end. In her nine years of service to the Elders, Kon-Mai had only once questioned why she still bled, and it ended with Elder Abyzou...reprimanding her, for daring to doubt their judgement. It is a gift, she had said, a blessing from us to you. Be grateful._ Be happy._

_"Vhyata ux, Abyzou."_ Kon-Mai hissed, hoping that on some level, her precious mother could feel her pain. She could already feel it creeping up her lower back, and her muscles were clenched tight from it. Looking in the mirror, she grimaced at her visage. It was no pretty sight, that was for certain.

However much she would have liked to crawl back into bed, Kon-Mai had an assignment today, and she had to be on top of it. The Commander was counting on her.

She had a job to do.

.

.

"That's it. You got it." Gur-Rai said gently as Dhar-Mon slowly inched his way down the hall, his hands gripping tightly to the walker provided for him. He led with his left foot, his right side still dragging along like dead weight. They moved at a snail's pace, and would have been blocking traffic if they had not elected to get up at 0'dark thirty in the morning in order to have the space they would need. Gur-Rai didn't particularly see the need for such solitude, but his older brother was having enough trouble as it was. And from the way he struggled, Gur-Rai was happy to accommodate him if it eased Dhar-Mon's suffering just a bit.

A door opened from the radio room, and Bradford came strolling down the hall, freezing as he saw them. Gur-Rai looked up at him and smiled. "Good morrow, Central. Come to see our patient?"

"Well, I guess I am now." Bradford forced a smile and nodded to Dhar-Mon. "...Warlock, is it?"

"Dhar-Mon, if you please." He answered sheepishly.

"Sure, sure. How are you...feeling?"

"As the children say…" Dhar-Mon sighed. "I am...straight up not having a good time right now."

Gur-Rai laughed. "I taught him that one."

"You are very smart, Brother." Dhar-Mon rolled his eyes. "_Madron_, if I may-"

"You don't have to call me that." Bradford chuckled but it sounded forced. "I'm not that...high up in command."

"I must object. Were you not acting Commander when Senuna was in custody?"

"Technically yes, but…" He scratched the back of his head. "I mean, we humans don't use terms like that, really, anymore"

"Oh?"

"Yep. Just Bradford or Central is fine. Or John, but there are about 238 Johns in the XCOM database so I try and avoid that."

The Warlock growled, but it was more contemplative than angry. "What peculiar culture you humans have…very well, Central Bradford."

"...I guess that works." Bradford shrugged. "Did you need something?"

"I want to speak with your Commander." Dhar-Mon added. "It is imperative, upon my recovery. I have much I wish to discuss with her."

Gur-Rai would have thought that Bradford would jump at the chance, like he had with their sister. But the man seemed to go pale and silent for a moment.

"Um...yeah. The Commander is...meeting with a few other resistance leaders right now but I'll let her know. We want to…" He nodded. "She'll be happy to…"

Gur-Rai scowled. He could smell the lie on Bradford's lips. Luckily, Dhar-Mon seemed to be none the wiser and nodded enthusiastically.

"Then I shall look forward to meeting her." He said. "Should I bring an offering of any kind?"

"Off…? No, no no." Bradford looked anxious and was beginning to back away. "No, you're fine. I...have to go, I just remembered Tygan needs me to print off a bunch of supply request forms."

"Until we meet again, Central Bradford." Dhar-Mon bowed his head respectfully. While his eyes were averted, Bradford mumbled a half-hearted goodbye and scampered off, Gur-Rai glaring daggers at his back.

The middle Chosen put his hand on Dhar-Mon's shoulder. "How are you doing, Big Guy?"

"I am quite well, Brother." He sounded so chipper, and Gur-Rai forced a smile.

"Glad to hear it. And don't worry, you'll get to meet with the Commander." Gur-Rai stared after Bradford. "We'll make sure of it."

.

.

Kon-Mai ripped the ruined sheets into thin strips, fashioning several makeshift pads for herself. Of course she didn't have her normal supplies, THOSE were all still at her stronghold, and she'd likely never see them again. No, for now this would have to do.

Her back was killing her, the pain having spread from her pelvis up her spine, all the way into her shoulders. Her movements felt slow and heavy, and reaching for her katana was near agony, but she took a deep breath and forced herself through the pain. She slowly secured her weapons to her back and tucked her dagger in her belt, smoothing everything down in an attempt to look somewhat proper.

She was lucky. Compared to human women, her menstruation only lasted a day at the most. This would be over in a few hours and then she could forget about it until the next year, when the annual curse struck her again. In fact, it might even be over by the time this mission was under way.

She hoped.

Each step out the door hurt, and she wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep this away, but she had a job to do, and by her pride she would uphold it.

The sun was still barely up, only peeking above the horizon and painting the clouds red and orange as Kon-Mai stepped into the garage. There stood Bryni Lyndon, still in her civilian clothes, though she was pulling her Firebrand suit out of her locker.

"Oh hey, Sugar! You're up early!" She giggled. "With how you were dancing last night, I thought you'd rise with the midday sun."

Kon-Mai smiled forcefully. "Yes, but my duty calls me. Where is the mission location?"

"Right, uh…" Bryni picked up the data pad. "Oooh, southwestern Canada. Beautiful up there. You ever been?"

Kon-Mai wracked her brain. "...I have been to many places."

"I'll take that as a no then." Bryni winked and popped on her helmet. "You'll be helping a settlement relocate. Their camp got destroyed by an ADVENT raid, so they're heading a bit more to the east."

Kon-Mai nodded again, barely listening.

"You okay, Sugar?" Bryni asked. "You lookin' pale as January snow."

"I am...tired." She said softly. "From last night."

"Okay…" She couldn't tell if Bryni believed her, but if she didn't, she at least didn't push the issue. "Your comrades ain't even out of bed yet, so you can relax."

Relax. Easier said than done. Kon-Mai took a seat on a nearby bench and pulled her legs into her lotus pose. The feeling of movement made her hiss, and she almost started crying, but managed to hold it in.

Perhaps meditating would make her feel better.

.

.

Meditating did not make her feel better. In fact, by the time her teammates got onto the plane, she was more agitated than she was before. None of them saw fit to attempt to talk to her, which Kon-Mai both saw as a blessing and an insult. Only one of them had attempted to introduce themselves to her; Bronté their name was, but she had met their handshake with a only curt nod and a scowl. The other two looked young and inexperienced, but then again this was a simple mission, and Kon-Mai was talented enough to pick up the slack for all of them.

They landed at the top of an outlook, the cold Canadian air flooding the chopper as the doors opened.

"Welcome to Tuber Hill!" Firebrand called. "I'll be following you guys in the chopper, if you need anyone lifted up, just holler!"

Kon-Mai grunted as she got to her feet, nearly smacking her head into the Skyranger ceiling. She was so tall she had to basically crouch to get out, which was hell on her already sore legs.

The four emerged into the wilderness and looked around, Kon-Mai scanning the area. "Where is the point of rendezvous?"

"Supposed to be up here…" Bronté mused. As they said that, a noise could be heard from down the hill.

"I think those are our guys!" One of her team, a short girl with thick brown hair, called out, pointing towards the mass of people climbing the hilltop. Expectedly, a good number of them faltered when they saw Kon-Mai, some children even screaming at the sight of her. Kon-Mai looked away from them, scowling, as the other, braver members of the tribe pulled them forward.

"Who's in charge?" Bronté asked, stepping forward. Their glasses were catching the light and they lowered them a bit, exposing strangely piercing blue eyes.

"I-I am." A young man with gauze covering one eye stepped up. "I'm Parthalán."

"A pleasure" Bronté smiled. "I'm Bronté." They pointed to the young girl to their right, who was leaning on her rifle. "That's Amrita…" They pointed to the boy who stood just a few inches away. "That's Christopher…" And finally, they gestured graciously towards the Chosen. "And this is Kon-Mai. We're with XCOM."

Parthalán nodded. "I see…" He was staring at Kon-Mai. "Is that a…?"

"A what?" Bronté asked, one eyebrow raised

"I mean...she's not an alien, right? She's a human, right?" Parthalán smiled, obviously thinking his question was more tactful than whatever he was really thinking. In reality, it grated on Kon-Mai's last nerve and she bared her pointed teeth and hissed at him. The people behind Parthalán shrank back in horror at her display of aggression, and Bronté held up their hands, moving in between the two groups.

"Hey now." They said. "We're all friends here. We're just here to escort you to where you gotta go, Parthalán." They nodded between the two. "Okay? Can we all get along?"

Kon-Mai let her growl subside and took a breath, nodding. Parthalán also nodded, completely silent.

"Wonderful. So, where are you guys headed?"

"Well, the tribe's decided on Bralorne-"

Amrita immediately let out a groan. "Are you serious?! That's 30 miles from here!"

"Technically it's 27.6 miles-"

"If we walk at a brisk pace, and that's a big IF, that's 13 hours. We're gonna be walking all day!"

Kon-Mai cringed a bit at that. 13 hours on her feet? Any other day that would have been okay, but right now that sounded like hell.

"But we will do it." Bronté said, their tone snippish. "Right, Amrita? We said we would."

"We did indeed, and so we shall." Kon-Mai straightened her back and looked at the group. "We shall guide you to Bralorne. All you must do is point us towards it."

.

.

This walk was setting up to take a lot longer than 13 hours.

Kon-Mai had started out strong, but by now she was trailing behind the group, dragging her feet and trying to ignore the searing pain that had taken hold of her entire body. Had she a stomach, she would have felt nausea, but instead she felt a deeply painful twisting in the residual organ that used to be her stomach but she no longer knew a clear use for.

The people they traveled with were no help at all. It would have been a hard enough march, but they were traveling with sick and elderly, and with children who had to be roped in lest they run off into the wilderness. Kon-Mai kept pace with the ones who needed the most aid, and she hoped they believed she was there to help them. In reality, she could feel their eyes watching her warily. They hurried to keep ahead of her, and she realized they saw her herding them rather than helping.

She slowed her pace even more, feeling dejected, then enraged. Could these stupid humans not see she was trying to help them?! That was why she was here! She was in agony right now, and could easily have stayed at the Avenger and left them all to die, but no, she was here because they said they needed her. And now they had the gall to treat her like a monster?!

She heard footsteps beside her and looked down to see Bronté had fallen back to match her pace. "Hey, you alright?"

She stared down at them silently.

"You look like you're having trouble keeping up."

"I am fine." She hissed through gritted teeth. "I am one of the Chosen, built for the most strenuous of challenges. This may as well be a gentle stroll!"

"Doesn't sound like it." Bronté looked worried. "You look sick."

Kon-Mai scoffed. "I do not get sick."

"Well, you look like shit." Bronté reached up, as though they were grabbing her arm. "I can call a break if you wa-"

Kon-Mai slapped their hand away and hissed at them. "Do. Not. Touch. Me."

"Hey!" Bronté held their hands up. "Stand down, Soldier, right now."

"Do you seek to challenge me?!" Kon-Mai went for her sword. "Because your tone implies such!"

Bronté met her eyes with a hardness she did not expect. "I have authority on this mission. If you don't want me reporting you to the Commander for insubordination, you'll stand down right now."

Kon-Mai froze.

"Now." Bronté barked. "Hand, off the weapon."

Slowly, Kon-Mai released her sword and stepped back from Bronté's piercing blue gaze. She had not expected this reaction, and truly it had left her stunned, at a loss for words.

"Don't fall behind." Bronté grumbled, a deep sadness in their tone as they went back up to the front of the charge.

Kon-Mai felt even heavier after that exchange, and despite trudging along behind the party, she wanted so badly to fall into the dirt and dissolve.

Bronté had touched her. That was unacceptable. It wasn't her fault. But...she had just reacted. Bronté came back and...how dare they ask questions of her. It was none of their business. They wanted to help. They touched her so they could help. She was sick. They were right. They'd wanted to help and she had snapped at them. They had scolded her like a child.

There was no honor in this. She was acting like an animal, directionless and lost.

For the first time since her "death", Kon-Mai looked to the sky. And for the first, agonizing time, she longed for the light of the Elders she had left behind. She longed for them to cradle her and give her their voices, direct her to where she would go next, what she should do. She was so uncertain all alone.

Kon-Mai felt tears burning at her eyes.

.

.

John Bradford had, for the first time in a month, had a semi-productive day. He'd managed to start clearing out some of the last alien debris in the storage closets, approved a few weapon upgrades Shen wanted, filed an entire stack of paperwork, sent off payroll to the resistance council, and only had two drinks!

He was feeling good, if exhausted, when he opened the door to his private quarters and flicked on the light.

"Hello, John~"

"JESUS FUCK!" He jumped back, grabbing his pistol and looking around, his eyes landing on none other than the infamous Darkstrider himself, splayed out on Bradford's easy chair like he owned the place. "How'd you get in here?!"

"I came down the chimney, ho ho ho." Gur-Rai smirked as he leapt to his feet. "We need to have a talk, John."

"Please don't call me that." He put his gun away. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Oh it's not what I want, John." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "What is your problem with my brother?"

"..." Bradford shook his head. "...I'm sorry?"

"As you should be, John. You practically blew him off today when you saw him in the hall. Kicking a man while he's down? Shameful." Bradford could see in his eyes that Gur-Rai was only partially joking.

"What do you want me to do?" Bradford sighed. "I'm a little busy trying to win us a war."

"Remember who's winning that war for you." Gur-Rai winked. "You are very important, I'll give you that, but your Commander went to a lot of trouble for me and my siblings."

"Yeah, right. Don't get a big head about it." Bradford leaned against the wall. "For each of you Chosen, we have over 200 human soldiers, plus the Skirmishers, so you're not all as special as I'm sure you'd like to think."

"I would beg to differ. Not to undervalue their achievements, but I was literally birthed by gods."

"Yeah, I bet they birthed you on the fucking toilet."

Gur-Rai chuckled a bit. "Okay, we could debate this all night, but that's not why I'm here." He sat on the chair's armrest. "Why won't you talk to Dhar-Mon?"

Bradford was silent for a moment.

"He sacrificed himself for your rebellion." Gur-Rai looked very serious now. "He would never betray the Elders, John, but he did. For XCOM."

"Look." Bradford ran a hand through his hair, pulling at the strands in his fist. "...I've known a lot of people in my time here. I'm an old man, Gur-Rai, and I've had to bury a lot of friends."

"Well I'm sorry to hear that, but-"

"But the ones I regret are the ones I can't bury." He looked Gur-Rai in the eyes. "The ones we see out there again, who have been turned into monsters."

Gur-Rai raised a brow. "If you're talking about ADVENT troopers, they're clones. I've been to the facilities."

"Trust me, I've looked into enough of their eyes. Seen enough old friends, who don't remember me." He looked away. "...This isn't the first time I've met your brother. And he has no idea."

Gur-Rai's mouth dropped open, before he quickly righted himself. "...He was a soldier?"

"Not exactly." Bradford covered his face. "Lets just say, I regret a lot of things, but looking at what they did to him…" He shook his head. "I would have rather died than let it happen. And yet, here I am."

"Yes. Here you are." Gur-Rai said. "And here he is, ready to give you another chance."

"This isn't another chance at shit." Bradford cried, slamming his hand into the wall. "They took him. What they gave back, what Dhar-Mon is...that's not him anymore! That's not a second chance!"

"Maybe not in the way you hoped for." Gur-Rai shrugged. "But he is here now, Bradford. You say you care about him, do you really think pushing him away will get that message across?"

Bradford remained silent, conspicuously refusing to look the Chosen in the eye.

"This is your chance." Gur-Rai said. "Take it or not, but either way, never disrespect my brother like that again." His voice grew deep and low. "When you insult him, you insult me."

"That sounds like a threat, Darkstrider." Bradford went for his pistol again.

"It's not a threat. It's the truth." Gur-Rai stepped over to him and leaned his arm against the wall. "_No matter how we disagree, how our anger swells, we shall do each other no harm._ I only love my siblings and my gun, Bradford. Do not fuck with either of them."

Bradford sighed. "...I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Is the Commander free this Friday?"

"Friday? That's the day she usually sleeps until 3."

"Perfect. We'll be over at 4 to discuss Dhar-Mon's place in XCOM." He winked. "Thank you so much, Bradford. This meeting went much better than I hoped~"

"Whatever you say, Darkstrider." Bradford rolled his eyes as Gur-Rai ducked under the door frame and disappeared into the hall.

The previously good mood had been replaced with a sour feeling, like acid reflux. He sat down, reaching for his flask that he kept hidden in the bottom drawer.

"Maybe Tygan's right." He muttered. "I need to stop drinking."

.

.

They made camp beside the Bridge River Delta, where the water widened out before it would eventually spill into Downton Lake. They had been walking for nearly 6 hours, and the sky was already growing dark, and the first few stars were appearing in the beginning of the sunset.

The Assassin took a distant seat on a tiny fjord of rocks, away from the main camp. She watched the villagers setting up fires to cook their meals, and arranging sleeping bags into little groups; some small, with simple nuclear families, and some with ten or twenty people all sitting, talking, laughing. Her comrades had woven in among them. She saw Bronté talking with a few of the women, heartily chowing down on a meal of noodles, completely enraptured by the conversation.

Kon-Mai closed her eyes. The wind brushed her hair back, hanging loosely from her ponytail from a day of hard travel. She tried to let the stimulus around her cocoon her, like a sleeve, but her sharp ears kept picking up the sounds of happy conversation. It was grating on frayed nerves, and the more she listened, the more isolated she felt, and as such, the more crestfallen.

She heard footsteps behind her and spun around, reaching for her blade, but the old woman behind her held up her hand.

"Be at peace, Child." The woman chuckled. "I don't mean to disturb you."

Kon-Mai stared at the bowl of soup in the woman's other hand. She met her eyes, and they were bluer than the lake before her.

"Did you bring me this?" Kon-Mai grumbled. "You have wasted your time. I do not need to eat."

"Oh, nonsense." She drew closer. "You're a warrior. You need your strength, Child."

"My kind do not eat for strength…" Kon-Mai put her sword to the other side of her. "I draw the energy of the earth itself into my body, like a plant with sunlight."

"Well, this isn't food, anyway." The woman chuckled. "I made it to help with your cramping."

Kon-Mai stared at her, one eyebrow raised.

"I can tell your moon cycle is upon you." She winked. "I haven't dealt with that in years, but I know all the tricks for it."

"...It will be over soon." Kon-Mai spoke, but it came out a whimper. "You should not have come. I don't need help."

"But this will help." She set the bowl beside Kon-Mai. "I insist."

Kon-Mai stared at the concoction before her. It smelled earthy, like tea but...more. The scent alone was beginning to calm her nerves.

The woman sat a few feet away, taking a strange little wooden figure from her dress pocket and a dull pocket knife. She began to whittle away, her hands unsteady and shaking with each movement. She stopped for a moment, looking Kon-Mai up and down, then smiling brightly. "I am Sahkyo."

"...Kon-Mai." The Chosen nodded.

"It is quite an honor to meet you." Sahkyo nodded. "Please, drink. It works best when it's hot."

Kon-Mai picked up the bowl slowly, still watching the woman. "...If this is an attempt to poison me-"

"Now why would I do that?" She chuckled. "Drink, Child, before it chills."

Kon-Mai drank. At first it was incredibly bitter, and she almost spit it out. Then she tasted mint, and the deep, rich flavor of chocolate, and blackberries.

"What is this?" She asked as she brought the bowl down from her lips.

"An ancient recipe~" Sahkyo said, not looking up from her carving. "I make it on the regular. Never as good as the medicine we manage to get, but that does not come often, so we make do."

She was right. Kon-Mai could feel the pain in her lower back fading, relief spreading through her bones. "Thank you…"

Sahkyo nodded, smiling brightly. "Anytime, Child."

Kon-Mai stared down at her lap, head bowed and hands clasped. "I am sorry for my rudeness."

"No, Child, do not apologize for pain." Sahkyo insisted. "It's no fault of your own."

"Still, I was rude to you." Kon-Mai brought her knees up under her chin. "I should have control over such things. To lose focus is unacceptable."

Sahkyo stared at her. "Do you hear yourself? You're being too harsh." She scooted closer and put a gentle, weathered brown hand on Kon-Mai's arm. "It is okay to hurt, and cry and feel pain. It's what makes us human."

Kon-Mai shifted away. "I am no human."

"Well, I beg to differ. You certainly bleed like one."

Kon-Mai grimaced and turned away, unsure of what to say. Even after her release from the Elders' cruel grasp, it made her cringe to hear those words. The Elders had always drilled into her head that she was different from them, better than them, that they were the enemy and she was the Chosen.

She looked at the little wooden figure in Sahkyo's hands. "What are you making?"

"It's another idol." She mused, holding it up. "For our most recently dead."

"Another? You have others like that?"

"I do. Many people carve them, and I tend to them and keep them safe." She smiled. "They call me the Shrine Maiden, but between you and me, my legs have seen more than enough action to strip me of that title~"

Kon-Mai chuckled. "Shrine...Maiden?"

"Yes."

"Your people have a shrine?" She puzzled. The strongholds of her and her brothers had been built around altars, repurposed for other uses, but shrines were an archaic thing. From what she had seen on the Avenger, not many humans were still religious, and those who were did not make use of idols.

Sahkyo gestured for Kon-Mai to stand. "Would you like to see?"

Kon-Mai got to her feet, picking up the empty bowl as she followed Sahkyo into the trees, towards a solitary tent set up far away from the others in the camp. It was larger than the rest, and she recognized the wagon nearby as being near the back of the parade, as they had marched.

Sahkyo held up a flap. "I apologize for the mess."

Kon-Mai stepped inside, blinking to adjust to the light, and looked around at the hundreds of little figurines scattered across the hut. Some were larger, some were no bigger than her finger. Some were simple, and some were carved with immaculate detail. Some were wooden, and some were made of stone or even metal.

"What are they…?" She got on her knees and reached for the nearest one. The face was simple, but the two dot eyes seemed to meet hers in a look of mutual curiosity.

"They are our ancestors." Sahkyo said. "The ones who have died in battle, or of sickness, or were taken by time."

Kon-Mai scanned the room, the hundreds of bodies lying in piles. "These are the dead?"

"They are their memory." Sahkyo picked up another small one. "I am in charge of keeping them, cleaning them, making sure they are dry and warm."

"Why…?" Kon-Mai reached for another one as Sahkyo began gathering them up, laying them out in little rows. "What is the purpose of all this?"

Sahkyo paused for a moment. "...To remember." She picked one up. "This one? You can see he has a little tool belt carved across his chest. This was my husband, Devon." She picked up another. "This one is too small, smaller than the rest. My son, who was born asleep." Finally she took a large one, made of white stone. "And this was my daughter. She protected us all until the very end. A shrine maiden in her own way…" Her blue eyes looked deeply sad.

"And...they are gone?"

"They are gone. But…" She hugged the three figures to her chest. "When you have lost everything...when so little brings comfort, I find no shame in indulging what few things do."

Kon-Mai laid the figures in her hands back down, wondering who they were as well. "...I am so sorry."

"As am I." Sahkyo sighed. "But sorrow doesn't bring them back. Besides, I'm not wanting." She smiled. "I have them all right here."

Kon-Mai met her eyes again. "...Yes. I suppose you do." She felt a yawn coming and stifled it, only to see Sahkyo chuckle.

"Do you feel any better, Child?"

Kon-Mai nodded.

.

.

The concoction had made her muscles relax, finally, and as a result when the darkness fell, Kon-Mai was hit with a wave of tiredness, and passed out immediately despite best attempts. She'd curled up outside of the shrine tent, in the low branches of a nearby tree, still poised to look out for danger.

Her eyes had never been the best. The one on the left wandered and dropped out of coordination with her right, and her sight all in all was never as good as Gur-Rai's. But her hearing was impeccable. Even in her dreamless sleep she could hear everything. The rustle of wind in the trees as a light fog blew in, the chirp of frogs on the lake, the skittering of small insects across the bark of the tree…

The distant hum of an approaching machine.

Kon-Mai woke with a start and stared into the darkness, listening. At first, the silence of the night was all she heard. Then she heard it, faint clunk, clunk, clunk, the sounds of stomping, marching…

She let out an alien screech, spurring the camp into a flurry of action. Grabbing her sword and dropping to the ground, Kon-Mai shouted "SECTOPODS FROM THE WEST! ADVENT IS UPON US!"

Bronté was the first one to her, shotgun hanging from their hip and armor barely on. Christopher was following, but he was still in his underwear. Amrita was nowhere to be found.

"Which way?" Bronté asked, fumbling to tie their vest and hold their grenade launcher at the same time.

Kon-Mai gestured behind her. "They are close, nearly 60 meters."

"Well, let's not give them a chance to get closer!" Bronté looked around. "Chris, go find Amrita and tell her to start rounding up the villagers, we need to get on the move as fast as possible." They looked to Kon-Mai again. "You and me: you take the right side and me the left, we move in a pincer and come up from behind."

"Trap them. Very clever."

"Yep. Now move." Bronté hoisted their gun and disappeared into the trees.

Kon-Mai closed her eyes, letting the psionic energy in her blood wash over her, cloaking her in an invisible shadow. Within a moment, she could feel the sensation of heat prickling on her skin. To the people around her, she was but a shimmering outline in the darkness. Before they could look too closely and break her concentration, she darted into the trees, her footsteps light as a feather.

The Sectopods were closer than she'd first thought, only about 200 feet away from the campsite and drawing closer every moment. She kept behind the trees, skirting alongside the platoon as they marched behind. There were a good amount of troopers, almost two squads worth of them, and…

Stun Lancers. Three of them. All that manpower meant one thing: they knew Kon-Mai was here.

She took a breath, tightening her focus, and saw Bronté on the other side of them. They were looking just as worried as she felt as the troops quickly closed the distance towards the helpless people. Kon-Mai reached out with the little psionic force she did possess and felt for Bronté's mind, feeling for it and finally finding them, the anxious ball of energy they were. Bronté seemed to startle, and they were silent for a moment, looking over to where she was. Then they smiled and held up a hand.

_On my mark._

_Three-_

_Two-_

_One-_

Kon-Mai darted from the trees and dug her sword into the ground, her psionic cloak falling away. As the soldiers turned to her, she dragged her blade sideways through the dirt, bringing up a cloud of psionic matter, and with a spin of her blade sent it careening toward them. Six of the ten soldiers went down, as did two of the Stun Lancers. One of them fell over onto another trooper, who fired a rain of bullets through the Lancer in a panic.

Kon-Mai smiled, but she had to keep focus. Now the enemy knew where she was. And that would not do at all.

She darted back into the trees, this time jumping up to a branch and cloaking again, then slowly sliding down the splintery bark of the tree so as to make as little noise as possible. The troopers were firing into the leaves, unaware she had moved, and allowing her to quietly slip around beside them once again.

Now it was Bronté's turn. They stuffed a frost grenade into their grenade launcher and with a "thump", jettisoned it into the midst of the fray. The soldiers didn't seem to notice until the last minute, the majority of them still focusing on where they thought Kon-Mai was. But they sure did notice when the grenade went off, encasing half of the troopers, another one of the lancers, and one of the Sectopod's legs in ice.

Kon-Mai darted from the trees and began hewing away at their frozen forms, their bodies shattering as her psionic blade made contact with their icy flesh. She spun, only for her sword to hit the baton of a Stun Lancer as it lunged for her. She slid backward, hissing, and darted to the side, but the Lancer was almost as quick as her and caught her with an arm to her stomach, making her stumble.

"Kon-Mai!" She heard Bronté shout, but she could not see them. She righted herself, holding her blade tightly in her fist at her side as she and the Lancer stared each other down, each waiting for the other to make the first move. A moment passed.

Kon-Mai moved her foot forward, and the Lancer lunged just as she fell back, slipping under their weapon and sending them stumbling forward. A faint.

And it had been worth it. The Lancer landed on one knee as Kon-Mai whipped around and drove her blade through it's back, skewering it. It died gurgling, blood spilling from it's helmet as it slumped over.

"Kon-Mai!" Bronté's screams were getting farther away. "The Sectopod!"

She looked up with a start, and her heart fell as she saw the Sectopod closing in on the helpless people.

"We cannot be too late." She whispered as she darted forward, sprinting on strong legs. "I will not fail them."

.

.

Amrita ran to the tent of the old woman, who was hurriedly trying to gather up all the wooden figures and place them securely into the carts. "We don't have time for that! Leave them!"

"I can't." Sahkyo insisted. "Take the others if you must, and leave me here."

"Lady, I can't do that!" Amrita cried. "That thing is practically on top of us!"

"I can't leave these to be destroyed!"

"YOU will be destroyed if you don't-" Amrita grabbed her pistol. "FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK! EVERYBODY SCATTER!"

Sahkyo turned as the red light spilled over her, the black mass of the Sectopod standing over her like the Devil. It stomped once, and Sahkyo slipped and slammed into the rocky ground, splitting her cheek wide open. The figures sprawled across the floor, now naught but kindling for the fire that was coming.

"No…" She reached for the nearest one, the one with the tool belt. "Please, not them. You can kill me if you want! Just leave them alone! Leave the figures, they are all we…"

The red light of the cannon charging filled her vision. Sahkyo closed her eyes.

Then there was a sound of whistling wind, and a crash. The red light was blocked by something.

She opened her eyes. "Child…"

Kon-Mai, using her own body as a shield, stood between her and the Sectopod's cannon. She looked back at Sahkyo, smiling. "Your shrine shall be protected."

Kon-Mai dove forward, running between the Sectopod's legs. It turned to try and catch her, and as it did, Bronté fired their pistol into the mouth of it's open cannon. It seemed to reel back, like an injured animal, and Sahkyo saw Kon-Mai had jumped up and was clinging to its side, her sword digging into the casing like a grapple.

The Sectopod thrashed back and forth, like it was trying to shake her off, but Kon-Mai held fast. She flipped herself upward, reaching down and dragging her sword up to her through the thick metal, and nearly slipped off as the thing began reeling back and forth like an angry bull.

Kon-Mai had always had good balance, but even this was starting to disorient her. She wanted to scream for Sahkyo to escape, but she couldn't open her mouth without risking biting off her own tongue. She grit her teeth in silence, holding on by the skin of her fingers and the heels of her shoes as she rocked her body with the sway of the angry machine. She had to get closer.

Bronté shot another grenade under the Sectopod, and this time the explosion sent the legs splaying out, and it fell to a crouch. That was exactly what she needed.

Surging forward, Kon-Mai lifted her sword above her head and drove it into the cockpit of the machine, cutting through wires and metal. In one last desperate attempt, it began to fling itself side to side, but Kon-Mai twisted her sword and held tight, until the unit inside flickered and, with a pathetic sigh, died. Wrenching her sword from the body of the beast, she dove from it, landing just as the creature behind her exploded in a plume of fire and smoke.

Kon-Mai stood as Bronté emerged from behind her, their grenade launcher resting against their shoulder.

"I believe we won." Kon-Mai mused.

Bronté smiled at her. "Fuck yeah, we did."

.

.

Bralorne was quiet, the smoke from the still burning Sectopod clouding the midday sky and making it appear overcast and cloudy. But as the villagers walked into the old settlement with it's run down wooden houses and empty mines, Kon-Mai saw the happiness in their eyes.

It didn't take them long to begin setting up. Parthalán began assigning people their respective houses, some families doubling up to make room for others. Sahkyo set up her little shine tent near the middle of the town, and Kon-Mai took her own time to help her pitch the tent, and then sat with her in the shade, cleaning and polishing the figures, watching as the little town grew busy again.

The smoke was clearing. Children were already playing outside. Bralorne was breathing again.

"You would make a good Shrine Maiden."

Kon-Mai looked at Sahkyo in surprise. "Why do you say such things?"

"You protected the dead with your very essence." Sahkyo said without looking at her. "Even though this concept was foreign to you."

Kon-Mai couldn't find the words to reply to that.

"This place, these people, live again." Sahkyo looked at her now, her white hair covering dark, weathered skin glowing with warmth. "And that is the job of a Shrine Maiden."

"To protect the dead?"

"Protect the dead, and give hope to the living." She reached over and took Kon-Mai's hand in her's. "And you, Child, have brought hope to us."

Hope. To the humans. She looked down at Sahkyo's hand, dark and warm against her cold blue skin.

"I was not created for this." She whispered.

"Oh, I think you were, in some way." Sahkyo chuckled. "Perhaps in a different way than how the aliens thought you would, though."

Kon-Mai nodded slowly. "It is my duty to protect the people of this world. I have already hurt them...can one with so much blood on her hands ever be a Shrine Maiden?"

"You don't need me to tell you that, Child. You already know~" Sahkyo bowed slightly to her. "Now, little Shrine Maiden, help me sort these by size. Largest to smallest."

Kon-Mai chuckled, only to notice Bronté standing outside the tent. "Sahkyo…"

Sahkyo looked up. "Ah, the warrior from before." She chuckled. "Now THEY are destined for great things."

Kon-Mai nodded, watching as Bronté caught her eye and held it.

"I must speak with them."

Sahkyo smiled and motioned for her to go ahead. "I shall be waiting, Child."

As Kon-Mai met Bronté outside, she noticed their smile was sheepish. "Is something the matter?"

"No, not really." Bronté coughed.

"Very well, I would like-"

"I wanted to say-"

They both stopped, waiting for the other to go, until Kon-Mai gave in and gestured for Bronté to speak.

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday." Bronté said. "I get that I probably scared you with trying to touch you like that, and you just reacted."

Kon-Mai blinked. "...No."

"What…?"

"I am sorry." She insisted. "My behavior was reprehensible, and not at all like a warrior should carry herself. I can assure you it will not happen again."

"I mean, you didn't mean it." Bronté shrugged. "I could tell you were out of sorts. We all have days like that."

"Even so-"

"Hey." Bronté smiled. "You more than made up for it by taking down that Sectopod." They reached their hand out. "I'll be letting the Commander know about your exemplary work out there in the field, maybe when you get back she'll have a promotion for you."

"...In that case, I shall do the same for you." She took their hand and squeezed it, a smile pulling at their lips. "And I shall look forward to working together again."

"Oh hell yeah. I'd pick you for my team any day." Bronté chuckled. "And, if anything feels wrong, please let me know, ok? I'm new to all this too, and it's my job to make sure my soldiers are safe."

Kon-Mai nodded thoughtfully, mulling over what they said for a minute. "...I appreciate that." She smiled. "But you needn't worry, it is sorted out now."

"Still." They raised a brow. "Just let me know, ok?"

"I promise I shall."

.

.

Commander Senuna patted the concealer into place with her powder poof, covering the dark bags under her eyes with white dust. "I don't know."

She heard Bradford sigh. "Commander, I can't make all these decisions for you!"

"I know that, but I'm being honest." She took out her liquid lipstick and rolled the peach paint over her lips. "I really don't know what we should do."

"Well if we don't tell him, he'll find out eventually and wonder why we were hiding it from him."

"Does he even care?" She dragged the mascara over her already long eyelashes. "The other two don't seem to question where they came from."

"The Warlock isn't like his siblings." Bradford said. "And even if that's true, how long until they DO start questioning?"

"I don't know." She stood up, pushing her white cape out from behind her. "What do _you_ want to do, John?"

He sighed. "I want to go back in time and-"

Senuna cut him off. "Well, sorry but it looks like time travel isn't an asset of mine. Yet."

He chuckled. "...Worth a shot."

She blinked slowly. "What would we even say to him?"

"Maybe sorry?" Bradford sat forward, running a hand through his hair. "I just feel bad about it, Commander."

"Bradford, no." She shook her head and walked over to him. "It's not your fault. It's the Elders'."

"It's hard to think that when I heard him screaming my name. Begging me to save him as they dragged him away."

There was a knock on the door, and Bradford shot up, taking a breath and righting himself. "Come in~" The Commander sang, sitting down in her fancy chair as Kon-Mai stepped inside, bowing respectfully.

"Hello, Commander. Central."

"Hi there!" Senuna chirped. "Just the girl I wanted to see! You have a promotion available~"

Kon-Mai looked surprised. "I...do?"

Senuna winked. "Cpl. Bronté Dukakis said you performed spectacularly well under time and pressure, and showed remarkable skill in teamwork."

"They also said you rode a Sectopod like a surfboard and stabbed it in the kisser." Bradord chuckled. "So that got you some extra points."

Senuna beamed as she stood up and saluted. "Kon-Mai Mordenna, I grant you the rank of Corporal."

The Assassin smiled, somewhat in disbelief. "...Thank you…" She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Commander. I will uphold it with honor and grace." She looked up shyly. "There is one other matter, though…"

"Fire away!" Senuna plopped back into her chair and put her feet up.

"I know what I would like my callsign to be."

"Oh? And that would be?"

Kon-Mai smiled fondly. "Shrinemaiden."

* * *

(This chapter, I was so nervous about posting, even if it's necessary for later events in the story. I really tried hard to be tactful when describing what was happening with Kon-Mai and I think (hope?) I got it to a good place.)


	14. Engraved with Purple Runes

The days of isolation passed so slowly. The Avenger was quiet, for once, and there was an air of calm surrounding those aboard. Perhaps since the Chosen had finally settled in, the anxiety the soldiers felt about them was all but gone.

It was Friday, and those whose job it was to take morning patrols woke to the rising light. Bryni had cooking duty and was in the kitchen serving up eggs and bacon and sausages to hungry soldiers. Fresh fruit was on the menu today as well, which everyone was happy about.

In the hospital, where the curtains were drawn and closed, Dhar-Mon Madron awoke early in his bed. Today was the day.

His was sister already there at his side, her nose buried in a book. She looked like she had been awake for some time, but when he opened his mouth to question it, she smiled and marked her place on the page. "Good morning, Brother. Are you ready for your meeting today?"

"Quite ready." He clenched his right hand. The fingers still tingled and the tips were numb, and Tygan was unsure if Dhar-Mon would ever fully regain feeling in his arm, but he could use it fairly well, and his right leg had recovered completely. "I trust the Commander will be pleased by my cooperation…?" His usual bravado was all but gone.

Kon-Mai stood, tucking her small book into her sash. "The Commander is not hard to please, it seems. Bradford may be hesitant, but he is not the Commander. So do not worry about him." She looked at the clock. "Where is Gur-Rai? I told him to be here thirty minutes ago."

On cue, the door opened and in strolled Gur-Rai, peeling a pineapple with his bare claws and scooping the pulp into his mouth. "Hullo!" He said with a mouth full of pineapple.

Kon-Mai and Dhar-Mon looked at their brother with disgust.

"What?" He said, yellow juice dribbling down his chin.

"What, and I mean this with utter sincerity, is wrong with you Brother?" Kon-Mai rubbed her temples.

"Well the Avenger just got a new supply shipment, and I've forgotten what pineapple tastes like since my human tongue was tragically ripped away from me." He held out the mutilated fruit. "Want some?"

Kon-Mai shook her head, but Dhar-Mon looked at it inquisitively.

"Come on~" Gur-Rai waggled his brows. "You know you want to~"

"Perhaps...later." Dhar-Mon sat up in bed, careful not to disturb the IV still in his arm. "Once I am released from this contraption."

"Shall I get the doctor?" Kon-Mai asked. "I do not think you need that IV drip anymore."

Dhar-Mon hesitated. "I do not want to bother Doctor Tygan. He is already very busy."

"One of the nurses, then." Kon-Mai said.

"I can probably pull it out." Gur-Rai mused.

"No, Brother, thank you." Dhar-Mon grunted. "We do have some time before I must meet the Commander, there is no rush."

"Are you certain?" Kon-Mai asked. "You've been bed-bound for so long, Brother."

"Yes, yes, a few more hours will not destroy me." He chuckled. "But, Sister, might I ask your favor…?"

She raised a brow.

"I...may need assistance getting dressed."

.

.

Kon-Mai was surprised that her brother had not gone down wearing his armor, but what looked like simple monk robes. Not that they were tasteless, in fact this cloth was the strongest, finest velvet material ADVENT had, impervious to nearly everything, and much stronger than Kevlar. But she did wonder why he had discarded his plate armor before his grand show. Dhar-Mon did not seem to sense Kon-Mai's musings as she tied the silver sash around his waist.

"Well look at that, Brother!" Gur-Rai clapped. "You look like a new man!"

Dhar-Mon said nothing, but Kon-Mai saw him smile with a look of pride.

She took his arm. "Can you walk, Brother? Shall I retrieve your walker?"

"I do not need it." Dhar-Mon insisted. He took a few tentative steps with her help, and Gur-Rai came on the other side of him just in case. Surprisingly, though, as they got moving, he seemed to be doing just fine, keeping pace with the two of them almost at their normal speed. Kon-Mai had to admit, she was proud of her big brother.

They came to Senuna's quarters and stopped as Gur-Rai knocked once on the door. It took a moment, but the door slid open and they saw the Commander stand up from behind her desk, smiling. Only Bradford was at her side this time.

"Welcome, Dhar-Mon!" Senuna sounded like she was trying to be chipper, but something seemed to be weighing on her mind. "Please, come inside. Jane will be here in a bit."

"Jane…?" Dhar-Mon looked bewildered at the sights around him. Kon-Mai had forgotten he had never seen the Commander face to face before.

"Yes. You know Jane. She's pretty famous." Senuna giggled but it was obviously forced. "Um…have a seat, please!"

Gur-Rai came around to Bradford and held out the mangled fruit rind. "Wanna pineapple?"

"That looks disgusting, where did you find that?"

"In a box." Gur-Rai smiled, chunks of pineapple stuck in his teeth.

Bradford shook his head. "...No. Thanks."

Senuna sat down across from him just as Jane entered the room. The two women exchanged looks, almost as though they were having a full conversation with their eyes. After a moment, Jane nodded and went to stand at her side. Once again, the Commander was flanked by her best soldiers.

She smiled and clasped her hands, but as she opened her mouth to speak, Dhar-Mon spoke first.

"Commander Senuna." He said. "I know you have very little reason to trust me, after the crimes I have committed in the name of my former masters. But I come before you today…to humble myself, before you and your soldiers, and to pledge to you my loyalty." He knelt on one knee, sinking to the floor slowly. "If you shall accept me, I will crush and destroy your enemies and raze all that oppose the resistance! I shall devote myself to-"

"Wait wait wait." Bradford held his hands up. "Hold on there, Big Guy."

"There's no need for any of that!" Senuna was smiling, almost laughing at the situation.

"I disagree." He insisted. "Your resistance has suffered at my hands. I must repent."

Jane raised a brow, her lip twitching. "Well, _I_ certainly won't say no to an apology. Especially for the time you extracted information from me. Forcefully."

Dhar-Mon lowered his head. "I regret every injury I have dealt you, Lady Jane Kelly."

"And I forgive you." She nodded. "Now stand up and come over here. We need you to sign a bunch of forms."

Senuna and Bradford exchanged looks. "I'll admit, I didn't expect this to go so...smoothly!" She sat up, looking cheerful.

"So, Dhar-Mon, we need to make sure you know what this job entails." Bradford said. "Especially after your last...exchange with the Elders."

"And now that we have all three of the Chosen, I don't think we can keep your identities a secret any longer." Jane added.

"I will do whatever I must." Dhar-Mon said with conviction. "Anything to return this planet to its former splendor."

"Good…" Bradford trailed off as he pulled out a form that looked like the ones Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai had signed. "I drew up the contract early-" He glared at Gur-Rai "-since it seemed like you were eager to start."

Gur-Rai winked at Bradford.

"Contract…?" Dhar-Mon looked confused.

"Yeah." Jane said. "You sign it to indicate you agree what we're asking you to do."

"I agree…?" He looked between his siblings.

"That's right, Brother." Gur-Rai held his arms open. "They offer CHOICE here!"

"If you don't agree with any terms in the contract, we can always negotiate." Senuna added. "We can also edit it later, in case something happens, like if you're injured again. Oh, and you can even choose a new callsign. I mean you can keep 'Warlock,' but your siblings have both chosen other names…" She chuckled. "Hehe. Chosen."

Dhar-Mon looked in...almost horror at the paper on the table before him. "...And...what if I say no?"

"Well, we'd probably edit the contract to make it more in line with what you want." Bradford shrugged.

He looked scared. "...I would never dare to question your judgement, Commander, but...to demand such of you…"

"Brother…" Kon-Mai took his hand. "They will not punish you."

Dhar-Mon seemed to flinch involuntarily, squeezing his sister's hand. "...I apologize Commander." He croaked. "I am used to taking orders from my masters. Contracts, choice, negotiations...to ask for such things, to speak out of turn, was a punishable offense."

"Is that why you look like you've seen a ghost…?" Bradford rubbed his face with his palm and suddenly looked 20 years older than he was.

Senuna opened her mouth like she was going to call out to him, but she closed it. Her eyes were sparkling with barely hidden tears.

"We'd never hurt you." Jane said, her voice still steady. "Not like the Elders did."

"I'm sorry." Bradford chimed in, his voice quivering. "God, I didn't know…"

"As am I." Senuna took a breath, wiping her eyes. "You're safe here, Dhar-Mon." She stood up and opened her arms to him. "I know my powers better than the Elders could ever understand, and with me, you will be safe."

"With XCOM." Bradford clarified. "We won't ever punish you unjustly."

"Unless you defect back to ADVENT." Jane shrugged. "But I don't think you will, after that stunt you pulled in Vatican City."

Dhar-Mon seemed to turn purple as he blushed. "That was...quite a statement I made."

"You think?" Jane chuckled.

"I loved it!" Senuna beamed. "It's EXACTLY the blow to the crotch ADVENT deserved! And the way you yeeted that priest over the balcony? Iconic!"

Dhar-Mon chuckled awkwardly. "I appreciate that, Commander…" He looked down at the contract on the table before him. "Well, I have not signed my name in a very long time, but if you have a writing utensil-"

Jane handed him a pen, and Kon-Mai stood beside him as he scanned the contract, reading much more slowly than she had. He then slowly scratched a few simple Etheric symbols into the paper, along the line.

"...That works!" Senuna handed the contract to Bradford and reached out to shake Dhar-Mon's hand. "Welcome, Dhar-Mon Madron, to XCOM!"

"It is an honor." He gave her hand a gentle shake. "Do you know what my first assignment shall be?"

"Well." Senuna smirked. "Nothing too strenuous, but…"

"We do have a lead on an ADVENT mobile facility 30 miles north of where we are." Bradford said. "It's small, but from the energy reading they're putting out, it seems like they might be doing something interesting. With something useful."

"We think there may be experimental weaponry in this base." Jane said. "We want you to retrieve it."

"Commander, I'd like to join my big brother on this mission." Gur-Rai said.

"Why?" She raised a brow.

"It's his first, after all." He shrugged. "And my own first mission went south very quickly. I would volunteer my sister, but she just returned from her own little escapade."

Kon-Mai looked to the Commander. "I am not injured. If you wish me to go-"

"No, he's right." Senuna nodded. "Next time, though, you three will finally be together again. But for now…" She looked to Gur-Rai. "I'll put you on the mission list."

"They'll also need a hacker." Jane said. "Mithridates just got a promotion, he would be a good choice."

"Oh I agree!" Senuna tapped her chin. "And...let's send Princess. She hasn't been out for a minute."

"Princess?" Jane grimaced.

"She's very capable. And she's been making great progress in her psionics!"

"That doesn't make me less nervous, Commander."

"Well than Jane, how about _you_ join them?" Senuna smirked.

Jane looked between the Chosen. "Fine by me. I need to get off this ship for a bit."

"Well light my ass and call me a star." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "THE _FAMOUS_ Jane Kelly is gracing us peons with her presence?"

"I will slug you right here." Jane grumbled.

"Oh Jane, I thought we were friends! Unless your violent tendencies ARE a sign of affection-"

Dhar-Mon elbowed Gur-Rai in the ribs, and Kon-Mai snorted in laughter.

.

.

Dhar-Mon looked down over his new equipment, all wrapped up in a literal bow with a sticky note from the Commander herself, reading:

_"I ADORE those priest robes you have, so much so I made another pair especially for combat! Shen went a little overboard with the armor though but I left it because it looks AWESOME!_

_Much love,_

_Senuna."_

The robes provided were purple leather instead of cloth, and instead of the normal Etheric symbols around the edge, the sleeves were embroidered with silver Latin letters reading _"Vigilo, Confido."_

"I am watchful." He whispered to himself. "I am relied upon."

He hugged the robes to his chest. It was comforting.

"Do you need assistance?"

Dhar-Mon turned and saw Kon-Mai standing behind him, though he had not heard her come. Her mouth was a thin line and her eyes met the floor as she approached him, holding her arms out to hold the robes as he removed his own. He did so slowly, and as she watched him, she seemed to grow more anxious.

"What is wrong?" He demanded.

She shook her head. "It is nothing."

"Little Sister." He said, straightening up and putting his strength into his voice. "As your eldest brother, I demand you confide in me!"

She glared at him. "That is not very convincing."

He seemed to deflate, and Kon-Mai held out a hand, then pressed it to her face.

"You have barely recovered." She said. "And the Commander is already sending you into battle."

Oh. She was worried about him. "It is my duty as a soldier of XCOM."

"Perhaps it is." Kon-Mai nodded curtly. "And perhaps you will wind up dead on the battlefield."

"I promise you, Sister, I will not die."

She looked doubtful.

"Would you prefer if it was you on the mission, instead of Gur-Rai?"

"Yes, actually." She crossed her arms.

"Do you not trust him?"

She hesitated, not out of uncertainty though, no it was clear she knew the answer.

"A year ago? I would have told you not in the slightest." She said. "Now that we are free of the grasp of the Tyrannical Elders…"

"I shall keep him on a short leash." Dhar-Mon assured her.

"HE is supposed to be protecting YOU." She protested.

"Yes." Dhar-Mon nodded. "But he is the _Hunter_, Kon-Mai, not the_ Protector_."

She nodded, sifting through the clothing. "...This armor is truly art. Dr. Shen is incredible in her work."

He looked back over his belongings. The purple leather was latched in the chest with a breastplate of shining metal, engraved with XCOM's sigil on the front. For pants, it looked to be a variation of his normal undersuit, but with silver plating lining the thighs and covering his shins. On his shoulder was a circular pauldron of shining metal, encrusted with a single amethyst and lined with purple.

"Truly…" He said as he held it up to the light. "A suit of armor…"

"For a warrior of XCOM." Kon-Mai smiled at him.

He looked at her. "Sister...what name have you chosen?"

She blinked, then smiled. "Well, I am Shrinemaiden."

"And our brother…?"

"Darkstrider. Do not ask why." She shrugged. "Have you been thinking of rebranding, Brother?"

"I...do not feel the Warlock suits me anymore." He said, clasping his shoulder pauldron into place. "I am no longer that being…"

"I would say you are quite the holy man." She smiled. "Like a monk who has taken a vow of solitude."

"Perhaps." He nodded. "A hieromonk, even."

"Oh, how very elite~" His sister chuckled.

"It is a profession of great importance." He puffed out his chest, which only made her laugh harder.

The intercom above them buzzed. _"Kon-Mai Mordenna, please report to the gymnasium."_

Dhar-Mon raised a brow. "It appears you have been summoned."

She nodded. "No doubt my student awaits her master."

"You have students?" He smiled. "I am proud of you, Sister."

"I wish you luck on your mission, Brother…" She lingered for a moment. "...And...keep yourself safe."

"I promise." He nodded, watching as she left the room.

Kon-Mai didn't notice, as she turned the corner, Gur-Rai standing outside the door, his arms crossed and eyes glued to the floor. The Darkstrider clenched his fists.

He did not remember what sadness felt like. But this must be pretty close.

.

.

"What do you mean we cannot just teleport?" Dhar-Mon asked his little brother as the Skyranger shuddered with wind turbulence. The humans had little trouble with the height of the ceiling, but the eldest Chosen was forced to completely hunch over, and even then his head was pressing against the roof uncomfortably.

His brother had mitigated this problem by lying on the floor, legs against the wall and feet touching the ceiling. "We can't teleport anywhere, my dear brother." He said. "That was one of the Elders' gifts. And we've cancelled our subscription."

Dhar-Mon harrumphed and crossed his arms, looking to his right at the young lady beside him. She had made a point to introduce herself as Lady Demetria Min, and as he glanced at her, she straightened the little tiara that was holding back her hair.

"You like my crown?" She gleamed. "It was my great great great grandmother's! You know, she was married to the 3rd cousin of Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans!"

"Cool." Jane scoffed from across the aisle. Her face was steely, like always, and she was eyeing both Chosen men with an unreadable expression.

"Yes!" Princess said, not sensing the sarcasm in Jane's voice. "Great Great Great Grandmother Liên secured the future for House Min! I'll bet you _she_ wouldn't have surrendered to the aliens!"

"Then they would have killed her." Jane said.

"She would have beat them! She could shoot a rifle from a moving horse!"

"Yeah, Princess, and they had plasma weapons and mind powers." The young man, Mithridates, finally looked up from his agonizingly slow typing. "Who would win there?"

Princess pouted and leaned towards Dhar-Mon. "Don't believe them. They're just jealous."

"I'm sure your ancestress was a noble woman." Dhar-Mon said. "But no one can stand against the might of the Elders-"

"Except us!" Gur-Rai cut in quickly. "Because we're stronger, smarter, faster, and I can personally assure you, we are much better looking~" He winked.

Jane blinked slowly. "...Whatever you say."

"Drop zone incommin'!" Firebrand called back. "Get ready y'all!"

"Right." Jane stood. "We're landing about a mile and a half from the site itself, and we'll be approaching under the cover of night."

"Is this a stealth mission?" Mithridates sounded nervous.

"If it was, the Warlock wouldn't be here." Jane assured him. "We surround the site, and when I give the order we bombard it on all sides. Mithridates, you're there to analyze the loot we pick up. What's useful to us, and what is junk."

"Gotcha, Quiet." He nodded and closed his laptop.

Princess stood and stretched. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

For once, Jane smiled at her. "Yes it is."

.

.

Gur-Rai stayed at the back of the group, handing his brother the robe to drop from the Skyranger. "You got it?"

"I simply jump, yes?"

Gur-Rai chuckled. "Only if you want to break your legs. Hold onto that, and the Skyranger will lower you down."

"This is simple." Dhar-Mon scoffed, but Gur-Rai could read the nerves on his face.

"I'm right behind you, Big Guy." He patted his brother on the back and looked at Princess.

"I'm a little scared too~" Princess fluttered her eyelashes. "Will you carry me, Darkstrider?"

He smirked. "Of course, sweet girl. C'mere." He turned from her briefly to watch Dhar-Mon sit on the edge of the Skyranger and slide off. The rope buckled a bit under his weight, but he was lowered safely down, where Jane and Mithridates were waiting.

Princess came up to Gur-Rai, and he picked her up around the waist, with her holding his neck. He sat on the edge, wrapped his legs in the rope, and pushed off, sliding down faster than any of the other soldiers.

As they reached the ground, the Hunter gave a little twirl, and came to a stop with a pose. Princess giggled as she let go of him, and Mithridates gagged.

"Can we save the PDA for _after_ the mission, please?" Jane rolled her eyes and drew her gun. "Move out."

They spread out slightly and pressed forward into the treeline. Gur-Rai stuck beside his brother like he was glued to him. Good thing too, because Dhar-Mon's eyesight was worse than he remembered, and he immediately tripped over some roots and would have fallen, if Gur-Rai had not dove in and caught him.

"Hmph." Dhar-Mon grunted as he righted himself. "You do not need to do that, Brother."

"Oh yes I do." Gur-Rai said through gritted teeth, Kon-Mai's words ringing in his head. "Believe me."

_"I have a visual."_ Princess sang out over the comms.

"Let's catch up." Gur-Rai straightened up and took up position at the rear, behind his brother in case he should take a fall again.

They came to a small cliff, which ended abruptly and led down into a rocky crater that looked...almost recent. Down the steep sides, cut into the stone, was a circular building of glistening silver, the dark rock forming up around it like waves.

"Is that a UFO?" Mithridates said, pointing at the structure.

"Well I'll be damned…" Gur-Rai looked through his scope. "I haven't seen one of those in years…"

"Central?" Jane called over comm. "We have a UFO down here. It's a big one…"

_"Believe me Jane, that's nothing."_ Bradford seemed to chuckle. _"That looks like a crashed Overseer. They're like glorified scout ships."_

Jane looked uncertain, glancing toward Dhar-Mon.

He nodded to her. "These shall be no trouble for a warrior such as myself. And my brother will help too."

"Hey." Gur-Rai said, actually sounding annoyed. "I'm here to babysit YOU, remember?"

"I remember." Dhar-Mon sighed.

"Well, I'm going to get to higher ground." Gur-Rai backed up, and they heard a slight rustle as he climbed into a tree. "Let me know when, and what, to shoot."

"Roger that." Jane said. "Mithridates, with me. Princess, Warlock-"

He cringed at the name, and with Kon-Mai's words ringing in his ears, Dhar-Mon blurted out "Hieromonk, if you please."

"...Oh...kay then. Hieromonk, go around that curved pathway there and get as close as you can without being spotted." She stood up. "When I give the signal, I want you to hit them with everything you got."

"It shall be done." He and Princess got to their feet and went around the trees, Gur-Rai watching them with his scope. He sighed.

"You think it's a good idea to send him out in front?" He called down to Jane.

"I do." She looked up. "Eyes on the prize, Darkstrider."

"Yes, Quiet."

.

.

Dhar-Mon was not a stealthy man, and Princess was even less so with her bright purple hair and her tendency to squeak whenever her foot hit something unexpected. In fact, they had almost alerted the guards twice: once when Princess nearly stepped on a rattlesnake, and again when Dhar-Mon slipped and almost slid into the ravine before pulling himself back up.

They found a large rock at the bottom that was big enough to hide behind, and ducked behind it as Princess grabbed her Psi Amp off her back and held it up. "Ready when you are, Quiet."

_"Excellent."_ They could hear Jane was moving. _"Mithridates, hurry up."_

_"Why are we going so fucking fast?!"_ Mithridates could be heard panting as he spoke. _"Like-WOAH!"_

_"We're in position."_ Jane said as they heard Mithridates being yanked along. _"Darkstrider?"_

_"My body is ready, Jane, and so is my gun~"_

_"On my mark. Three…"_

Dhar-Mon braced himself, his hands beginning to glow with psionic power.

_"Two…"_

He felt Princess shift beside him, and the energy around him moved as she did.

_"One…"_

He took a deep breath.

_"NOW!" _

Dhar-Mon emerged from his hiding place, taking one last second to charge his attack, and shoved his hands forward, releasing a blast of psionic energy toward the trooper unlucky enough to be standing in front of him. The soldier went down in a daze, and the two who had been standing a few feet away cried out in pain as the spark jumped from one to the other.

He saw Princess grasp at the orb of energy in her amplifier and throw it outward, hitting a Muton soldier in the chest. Unfortunately, the Muton was not as injured as she had counted on. It turned toward them, snorting and growling.

"Oh bollocks." She backed up, and Dhar-Mon moved in front of her as the Muton charged.

There was a thunk and a splat, and the Muton fell, sliding to a stop at Dhar-Mon's feet. He looked up at his brother, who had his teeth clenched in concentration, his gun smoking.

_"Tell our sister about that when we get home."_ He seemed to growl as he slid down from the tree, moving in closer for a better shot.

"Move out, move out!" Jane rushed forward, firing at the soldiers who were coming at her. They were weak compared to Quiet Jane, who seemed to mow them down like grass, but even so, the Muton soldiers seemed to be closing in.

Dhar-Mon ran forward and pulled his energy forth, his eyes glowing purple as he did, and apparitions began to spring from the ground. Psionic spirits came forth, ready to defend. Without him needing to speak a single command, they rushed towards the Mutons. One very fragile spirit took the brunt of the gunshot meant for Jane. As it went down, another rose to take its place.

Jane looked to Dhar-Mon in confusion. "Thanks…?"

"Always, Lady Jane." He said.

"Please, it's Quiet." She smirked. "Mithridates!"

"I'm pinned down!" He screeched from behind a post. It was true, he was hiding as two troopers and a Muton came up behind him, and tried to grab him from around the pole. Mithridates ducked out of the way, but the Muton got a hold of his collar. Two bullets whizzed by them, and the Darkstrider audibly cursed.

_"I meant to do that."_ He growled. _"Stay there, I'm coming down!"_

"I DON'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE IN THE MATTER!" Mithridates screamed as the Muton lifted him above it's head. "SOMEBODY HELP!"

Princess pulled another psionic blast from her amplifier, squinted, took a deep breath, and screamed as she fired. This time, she hit the Muton right in the face, sending it flying back and forcing it to drop Mithridates, who landed with a soft thump on the grass.

Dhar-Mon beckoned his brother over as Gur-Rai jogged towards them and winked at Princess. "Nice shot, my lady~"

Princess giggled, turning as pink as her hair.

"Thanks." Mithridates grumbled as he got to his feet. "Let me get the door."

"Darkstrider, take point lookout." Jane said, coming up beside him to help keep watch. He complied, but Dhar-Mon could see Gur-Rai staring at him instead of through the scope.

He came up beside Gur-Rai, who looked away. "What troubles you, Little Brother?" He whispered.

"Nothing." Gur-Rai muttered.

"Do not lie to me."

"You're not my dad." Gur-Rai sniffed and focused through his scope. "I'm fine. Just doing my job."

"You have been out of sorts since we came here."

"Oh yeah, like you would know…" Gur-Rai fell silent. So did Dhar-Mon. The two stood there awkwardly.

"Look, I'm supposed to be protecting you right now." Gur-Rai looked Dhar-Mon directly in the face. "Let me do that, alright? Please? Unless you think I'll fuck that up, too."

Dhar-Mon balked at his comment, just as Mithridates shouted "Got it!" Behind them, the door swung open, and they heard the sound of a plane approaching in the distance.

"Fuck. Reinforcements." Jane looked to Gur-Rai. "You and I will hold the front. You three, get inside and start rooting around. Grab anything you think looks interesting."

"Understood, Quiet." Dhar-Mon gestured for the young soldiers to follow him inside.

The inside of the wreck was almost completely empty. There would be one or two troopers around a corner every so often, but Princess took them down quickly, and when she was eventually stifled by a shot to the foot, Dhar-Mon picked up for her with his own psionic attacks, leaving their minds scorched and useless.

They came to the center, where the roof had caved in, opening up the large starry sky above them. Dhar-Mon heard the sounds of gunshots outside, and for a moment he worried greatly about his little brother.

Gur-Rai was a warrior, Dhar-Mon assured himself. He would be fine. At this rate, he was beginning to sound like Kon-Mai.

"Guys…" Mithridates stepped toward the huge hole in the center. "Guys look…"

Princess gasped. "What IS that? It's so beautiful!"

Dhar-Mon looked toward the center of the ship, under the open sky where the metal ground had given way to dirt and rock. There, buried in the soil, was a silver war hammer, engraved with purple runes and glowing in the moonlight.

He stepped towards it. "...This is…" He had never seen such a thing before, though he had heard the Elders were expert smiths; they had crafted his sister's weapon with their own hands, after all, and he knew they took great pride in their work. Why would they leave this one…?

"It's giving off a lot of energy." Mithridates said.

"What kind of energy?" Princess asked.

"I dunno, the purple kind? I ain't Tygan." Mithridates peered over his laptop. "Wait, Dhar-Mon, don't touch it!"

Dhar-Mon ignored the boy and reached for the handle. The weapon seemed to vibrate as he grasped it, and suddenly he felt a jolt of energy, and the hammer practically lifted itself as he yanked it from the dirt. He stumbled for a moment before letting it settle firmly in his grasp, the runes shining brilliantly.

"Woah!" Mithridates gasped, looking at his laptop screen. "These readings just went off the charts!"

"Well, you should get bigger charts, then." Princess snarked. "What's all that weird writing on it?"

Dhar-Mon looked at the side, where the carvings glowed with purple light. He recognized the Etheric letters and read them out one at a time.

"...Yseult." He said. "I believe this is the name of this weapon."

"That's probably what Tygan wanted us to get." Mithridates said. "Let's check around a bit more, see if we can't find-"

There was an explosion that shook the ship, and Dhar-Mon heard Gur-Rai scream.

His heart in his throat, Dhar-Mon hoisted the war hammer and gestured to follow. "Come! Our comrades have need of our help!"

"But Quiet gave us an order!" Mithridates shouted.

"Stay here then!" Princess spat as she and Dhar-Mon sprinted for the entrance.

Mithridates stared after them, groaned loudly, and followed.

.

.

What formerly was the entrance was now a large hole leading to the outside. To the left they could see Jane, bleeding out on the grass as she used the last of her strength to pull herself to safety. Princess rushed over to her, but stopped short and screamed in terror.

"OH FUCK!" Mithridates dove behind Dhar-Mon for cover. "ARCHONS!"

Dhar-Mon looked up and, lo and behold, there above them three Archon soldiers hovered, one of which had detonated the aforementioned explosion.

Dhar-Mon had one thought, and that was to find Gur-Rai. His brother was nowhere to be seen, and for a horrifying moment, Dhar-Mon feared he may have been buried under the mounds of rubble. He didn't have time to ruminate on that, though, because one of the Archons charged him. Dhar-Mon stepped back and, on instinct, held up the war hammer to defend himself.

There was a clang. The Archon's spear had bounced off the handle, inches away from Dhar-Mon's face, flinging his assailant back. Acting on instinct, he swung the hammer across his path, slamming into the Archon with a loud bang and a sickening crunch. Metal tore, and the poor creature landed on the ground in a heap of scrap and flesh. The runes on Yseult were glowing brightly.

"Holy shit." Mithridates looked up at Dhar-Mon. "Can you do that again?"

"I shall certainly try." He looked to Princess. "You must aid Jane Kelly! Get her to safety!"

"Roger!" Princess panted, running to where Jane was again. One of the Archons, after seeing it's comrade being opened like a can of soup, made a run for the hills and disappeared into the trees. The other rushed at Dhar-Mon again, but this time, he was prepared.

Or at least he thought he was. As useful as Yseult was proving to be, it was heavy and slow to swing, as he learned when he swung the hammer and the Archon zipped out of the way with nary a scratch. It roared at him and jabbed it's spear towards his heart, which he only just managed to dodge, causing the green serrated tip to stab into his shoulder. He cried out, dropping Yseult and staggering back as the Archon rushed them.

"Run, boy!" Dhar-Mon called out to Mithridates. He summoned up his psionic powers, preparing to blow the Archon (and possibly himself) to high hell.

"What about you?!" Mithridates cried.

"RUN!" Dhar-Mon took a breath. "And tell my sister I am sorry."

_"You can tell her yourself."_

There was a loud "ZAP" and the Archon stopped it's charge forward, wobbling in the air. Dhar-Mon saw that a hole had opened up in it's chassis. Another loud gunshot, and it's head was severed from its body.

As the body of the Archon fell to the ground, Mithridates and Dhar-Mon peered around the building wall.

There stood Gur-Rai, scowling. His clothes were covered in dirt and his armor plates were dented. His face was bloody and badly scratched. As he holstered his rifle on his back and began to walk over to them, Dhar-Mon could see he was limping badly, dragging his foot.

Dhar-Mon approached him, meeting his brother halfway. He opened his arms, and Gur-Rai fell into them, hissing from the pain.

"You are injured." Dhar-Mon scolded. "You arrogant little fool! I thought you were…" He gulped.

Gur-Rai jabbed his finger in Dhar-Mon's face. "Shut up. Shut the fuck up." He looked up. "It's _my_ job, alright? _Me_."

"Your...job?"

"Yes, my job is to protect you out here, because our bitch sister thinks I can't." He shifted his weight too much onto his injured foot and cried out. "She _thinks_ I don't _love _you, you fucking asshole!"

Dhar-Mon blinked in utter confusion. "...What has caused this outburst?"

"I heard you two talking in the armory." Gur-Rai's head was parallel with the floor now. "I heard her say she doesn't trust me to keep you safe. And I will make myself a Berserker's Bitch before I let her be right about _that_!"

Dhar-Mon stood, absolutely stunned. "...Little Brother…"

"Don't do that." Gur-Rai growled. "Stop treating me like a kid."

Dhar-Mon chuckled. "You are right, Brother, you are no child." He pulled his little brother into his arms and embraced him. Surprisingly, Gur-Rai did not struggle.

"You are a brave and noble soldier." Dhar-Mon patted his back. "And I owe you my life."

.

.

The Skyranger landed with a thump in the garage, and the company filed out slowly. Jane was being helped by Princess and Mithridates as one of the medics came rushing to the garage with a wheelchair for her. Gur-Rai and Dhar-Mon watched as she was hauled off to the infirmary, and Gur-Rai tested his weight on his foot again.

"You should not aggravate your injury." Dhar-Mon said.

"I don't think it's broken." Gur-Rai shrugged. "Nasty sprain, though."

They heard familiar footsteps, and exchanged a smile before glancing up to see Kon-Mai. She ran to them, throwing her arms around Dhar-Mon first, then reaching over and pulling Gur-Rai into the hug.

"You are both alright…?" She asked.

"We are both alright." Dhar-Mon pulled away. "It would not be so, if not for our brother."

Kon-Mai looked to Gur-Rai, who avoided her gaze.

"I was certain I was to die on the field of battle. It was Gur-Rai's quick thinking that saved us all." Dhar-Mon raised a brow. "I do not think there is reason to doubt him, Sister."

She looked between the two. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I protected him with everything I had in me." Gur-Rai shrugged and crossed his arms.

"I am happy to hear that." She looked at him suspiciously.

"Kon-Mai, you believe our little brother holds love for me in his heart, don't you?"

Kon-Mai looked like she was about to make a joke, but the pained expression on Gur-Rai's face stopped her. "Of course I do. It was he who has been helping you learn to walk, who held me as I sobbed for you, I know he would give his life for you or me alike. I just…" She raised a brow. "What is the meaning of all this, Gur-Rai?"

"...I heard you saying I couldn't protect Dhar-Mon." Gur-Rai mumbled. "That you didn't trust me..."

Her face grew to a mix of horror and sympathy, and she grabbed her brother and pulled him into a hug.

"I know I'm an asshole." Gur-Rai said, pressing his face into her shoulder. "But family's family. You two are all I have left…"

"I know." She rubbed his back. "And I was mistaken, Gur-Rai, I should not have doubted you, whether in your ability or your intention." She pulled away and looked him in the eye. "I hope you can forgive this trespass."

"Hey, buy me a drink this Saturday, and let's pretend it never happened." He chuckled. "Now, as much as I enjoy these little affection sessions, my foot is starting to go numb, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go pay the Good Doctor a visit."

Kon-Mai gasped. "You should not be walking on that injury!"

"I offered to carry him." Dhar-Mon shrugged. "He said he wanted to walk."

"It's down the hall." He winked at Kon-Mai. "I will be fine."

She rolled her eyes. "Go on then." She patted him on the back as he left, and looked back at Dhar-Mon. "...What is that?"

"What is…?"

She pointed to Yseult. "That."

He lifted it so she could see. "I do not know. It is a war hammer of some sort. From the energy surrounding it, I feel as though it is yet another relic from our...former masters."

"Yseult." She whispered, tracing the runes with her hands. "It sits well in your grasp, Brother."

"Indeed…" He shifted it in his hands, feeling how the weight rocked back and forth. "It was quite the lucky find…"

* * *

(It's technically Friday! Which is when I said this would be out!

Sorry for the lateness, it was really the first half of this chapter I wanted to rework, then I discovered it didn't need as much work as I thought.

Here, we see Dhar-Mon finish his transformation, gaining a new weapon and a new name! The Hieromonk! I think it suits him well~)


	15. Love, Friendship, Family

_**(Content Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of domestic violence and physical/emotional abuse)**_

Bhandasura stared into his reflection in the mirror. His blue eyes were sunken, his neck nearly broken and bruises blooming on his cheeks. Behind him, Camazotz was standing like a barricade against Abyzou's unceasing wrath. He could feel his lovers battling between their minds, screaming at each other without saying anything.

In a moment of frustration, Abyzou grabbed one of her trinkets-a golden necklace in the shape of a star-and hurled it at Camazotz. It whizzed past his head and cracked the mirror Bhandasura was gazing into, just like the action cracked her wrist and she dropped to the floor, screaming.

**"Well, now look what you have done!"** Camazotz gloated above her.

**"YOU SHUT UP!"** She glared at him. **"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"**

**"How did I do this, Abyzou? Did I make you attack Bhanda? You did that, all by yourself."**

**"Curse you!"** Abyzou straightened up, getting into Camazotz's face. **"Curse the very day I met you!"**

**"And curse the day **_**I fell**_** for you!"** Camazotz's anger made Bhandasura shiver. **"I wish you'd crawl into a hole like the leech you are!"**

**"You say that, but come the hours passing, you shall be begging for my bed again!"** Abyzou hissed.

**"Hush."** Bhandasura closed his eyes. **"Both of you."**

**"Stay out of this."** Camazotz snapped at him.

**"Do I not get a say anymore?"** Bhandasura drew himself up and turned to them. **"Forget not that I, too, have the blood of a **_**Madron**_**. You cannot give me orders."**

To that, Abyzou actually relented, stepping back, while Camazotz drew closer to him. **"Was it not I who stopped her from killing you, Bhanda? Are you going to side with her again like you always do?"**

**"No…"** Bhandasura placed his icy hands on Camazotz's bony shoulders. **"Are you two forgetting that this is not simply a marriage, but a partnership?"**

Both Abyzou and Camazotz were silent.

Bhandasura's body heaved. **"I could not imagine a world in which I live without either of you."** He reached for Abyzou's broken wrist, cradling it gently. **"When we hurt each other...we hurt ourselves."**

.

.

The red sand of Sedona, Arizona reflected back the light of the rising sun that painted the sky purple, green, blue and red. The Avenger had settled into a large prairie at the bottom of a ravine, resting her wings under the shade of old evergreen trees.

Malinalli took a deep breath of the early morning air, running her hands through her curly hair. "Ahhh! Smell that breeze!"

"It is lovely." Dhar-Mon yawned, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Their boots clacked against the metal floor of the Avenger dock as they stepped out onto the prairie grass. Even this early in the morning, it was clear the day was brewing to be a hot one, and Dhar-Mon suddenly understood why Malinalli had woken him up this early.

She was bright eyed and bushy tailed, beckoning him to follow her towards a more forested area. "So, where should we go to train? Do we need a wide open space?"

"No, not yet." He assured her. "I will start you with simple techniques." He looked around. "A place to sit would be quite ideal."

"Maybe some rocks or a patch of leaves." Malinalli rushed forward into the trees lining the ravine, and Dhar-Mon had to jog to keep up with her. She seemed to move effortlessly over such difficult terrain.

"Are you certain you do not see combat?!" He shouted, and she ran back and took his hand, helping him up a steep rock.

"Sorry." She chuckled.

"Do not leave me." He meant to sound gruff, but the softness of his voice surprised him, and even moreso did the look she gave him.

"I'd never do that." She cleared her throat. "Um, here's a grassy patch! Lets sit here."

They stopped under the partial shade of some trees, the sun of the prairie still beating on them from the side, but it was much more bearable now. Malinalli scooted forward, wide eyed with expectation.

He chuckled. "So what can I teach you, little phantom, that you do not already know?"

"How to use psionics would be a start." She chuckled.

He thought for a moment. "To use psionics is to be in harmony with one's own mind." He held his hands out. "You humans have more power within just one cell than you truly know. All you must do is access it."

"So anyone can learn it?" Malinalli asked as she took his hands.

"...Yes…" He said hesitantly. "But for some, it is easier."

"Like having perfect pitch."

He nodded. "You are...gifted." He added. "This power comes naturally to you. Had you ever used it before we met?"

Malinalli thought for a moment, her eyes staring at the shadows on the ground. "...Not...in any way that was meaningful."

"Define meaningful."

She looked up.

"Perhaps you were using your gift." He smiled. "You simply did not know it."

Malinalli giggled. "Okay, Professor Madron. How about you show me how to read minds?"

"Read the thoughts of those who would be hidden?" He raised a brow. "How forward of you."

"I figure I'll at least be able to tell if Vicky is bitching behind my back again." She chuckled jovially.

He smirked and took both of her hands. "Let us begin, then. Tell me what I am thinking."

She faltered. "...Um...you'd rather be asleep right now?"

"Well, I had said that as we were leaving the ship." He chuckled. "In your early days, you will not be able to enter an unwilling mind. Later I shall teach you how, if you desire, but that...is dangerous in and of itself."

"But I can read a willing mind?" She asked.

"With sufficient practice." He nodded. "Close your eyes, Malinalli."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of the fresh, green air, and after a moment he followed her.

.

.

Gur-Rai sauntered down the hall, towards the Avenger's large, now open garage. Even in the early morning, people were beginning to rise, milling about with cups of coffee in hand. Some looked half-asleep, others looked like they'd just binged on one too many cups of liquid energy and were getting the jitters.

He heard the clatter of a wrench, and turned to see just the girl he was looking for. "Lily Shen." He called.

She turned away from the tool cabinet, looking at him somewhat in shock. "Oh. Hi Darkstrider…" She smiled at him, but looked...nervous.

"How formal." He chuckled. "Ready to go fix up a bike?"

"Yeah, I'm just looking for all the tools we'll need." She turned back to the cabinet. "Dirtbikes haven't been used in a while, so I'm a little worried we won't have all the parts for one."

"Well, let's burn that bridge when we get to it~" Gur-Rai clapped, and Lily seemed to flinch.

"Oh-kay." She handed him a toolbox. "Well I'm ready when you are..."

He followed her down the hall, away from the garage and down a ladder towards a basement area right below, so close to the ground they were practically touching it. The workspace was dusty, but some parts had been brushed off recently, where Shen had been poking around. Some wires were laying near a puddle of spilled oil, and Gur-Rai kicked them away, lest they start a fire.

Shen made her way over to a corner, where a huge sheet covered a monstrous contraption, keeping it hidden from view. "God, no one's touched this thing since…" She trailed off. "...It's been at least 20 years."

"Then this is a true relic." Gur-Rai chuckled, taking a corner of the cloth. "Ready?"

"Sure." Lily took hold of the other corner. "One, two, three!"

They yanked, and with a shower of dust, the tarp came flying off.

Shen made a face. "Yikes…"

Gur-Rai had to agree with her, it certainly was a yikes. It was basically a frame at this point, the casing lying on the ground, with wires sticking out from those pieces that were still hanging on for dear life.

"I'd imagined it would be…" Gur-Rai trailed off.

"Functional?"

"Bigger."

Shen looked him up and down. "...Oh. Yeah…" She put her hands in her hips. "Well, since we basically have to rebuild this thing from scratch anyway, adjusting the pedals shouldn't be too hard." She knelt beside the bike. "God, where do we even start?"

"From the bottom." Gur-Rai grabbed a wrench from the tool box. "That's what I always do when face with a challenge~"

"I really hope you aren't talking about sex." Shen sighed.

"Lily, you wound me. I am a man of culture." He winked.

"Mhm, sure." She picked up a crowbar and began to yank the loose plates away from the frame. "I've heard the stories, Darkstrider, I think everyone has. You got around, even when the Elders had a hold on you."

"What can I say? Humans are just too great a temptation." He knelt beside her, getting to work on unscrewing some of the rusted bolts.

"Well, that's not creepy at all." Shen grumbled.

"It was all consensual, I assure you."

The look she gave him made it clear she doubted his words, and his smile dropped.

"I may be an asshole, but I'm no monster, Lily." He insisted.

"No monster, huh? What about all the people you killed?"

"With the Elders screaming at me in the back of my head, I really had no choice in that matter." He sighed. "The most you can do is become numb to the killing after a while. But the passion of holding a living person…" He shook his head. "No. That's special. That's not something you force."

She looked up at him silently for a moment. "...You ever been in love, Darkstrider?"

"Oh yes." He nodded.

"For real?"

"Of course. There have been a few special ones."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Any of them tried to get you to quit ADVENT? Run off together like in the movies?"

He took a breath. "Hm...one did. The others; I think they wanted to."

"Did _you_ want to?"

"Lily." He smirked. "If I didn't want to leave the Elders, I wouldn't be here. I would have done ANYTHING to get away from THEM."

The casing clattered to the floor as Shen's crowbar finally pried it free. "You really hated them _that _much?"

"Yes." He tossed the rusty, useless screws over his shoulder.

"I'm certainly not objecting to that, but...how come you, of all people?"

He paused, his body involuntarily clenching up and his breath becoming caught in his chest. He swallowed and tried to smile, but to Shen he looked more nauseous. "They were shitty parents, let's say that."

Shen nodded. "...Sorry."

"Nah, don't worry about it." He looked away, hoping she couldn't see the look on his face.

"Well, hey, tell me about one of your lovers." She said. "Anyone stick out in your mind?"

"Oh, that's a toughie. They were all so wonderful." He chuckled. "...Oh, I know. There was one woman, about...four years ago. Her name was Donna Hall."

"Yeah? What was she like?"

He smiled wistfully. "She was incredible. Bright red hair, little button nose, and these deep brown eyes, sharp as an eagle. She could see anything, you know. Nothing got past her." He was now only half-focused on the bike in front of him, his screwdriver hanging loose in his hand. "She was part of a tiny resistance group in Canada. They were taken out by ADVENT, and she and her little family were rounded up and brought to a torture facility." He smiled. "And I just happened to be there that day, browsing the specimens."

Shen raised a brow.

"When she caught my eye, I knew that if ADVENT took her, they'd sand her down, wear away those beautiful features and make her a clone like all the others." He added. "You'll never find her name in ADVENT's database, Lily, because I took her with me before they could even think of booking her."

"So...you 'saved' her?" Shen emphasized that word.

"In a sense."

"How noble. What'd you do with her after that?" Shen said in an accusatory tone, crossing her arms.

"I brought her to my stronghold." He smirked. "Gave her a room."

"That's it? Really?" Shen's lip was curled upward slightly.

"Really, Lily. Don't you trust me? Actually, don't answer that." He chuckled. "I thought of probing her for info, but I just couldn't bring myself to hurt that pretty mind. So I just...kept her around. We would talk. Eventually she started talking more. Laughing more. She opened up to me, and I to her...and every day, we would go hunting."

Shen's face softened. "Hunting?"

"Of course. She was a game hunter, and, well." He gestured to himself. "What's a name for, really?"

"What'd you guys hunt?"

"The Elders' little pets." He chuckled. "Chile had a large population of Chryssalids that had run off into the wild. And she LOVED hunting them…" His eyes grew distant. "The hours we spent out there felt like minutes...I think that was the first time I felt truly immortal…"

Shen nodded. "She does sound fun."

"She gave me a run for my money more than once." He laughed. "Lost more than one bet to her...and I spent more time in her room than I did in my own." He stopped, his face growing very sad. "I really wanted to spend forever with her."

Shen held the silence for a moment. "...Did she...die?"

He shook his head. "No, she didn't die. I let her go."

"You let her go?!"

"Yep."

Shen blinked in utter disbelief. "Weren't the Elders mad?"

"Technically the Elders didn't know I had her." He smirked, but it looked painful. "I knew they would find out sooner or later though, so I...turned her loose, so to speak."

"And she just...left?"

"She always wanted to leave." He chuckled. "She begged me to go with her, too, but...I knew it'd only be a matter of time. I still had my collar." He tapped the back of his head, where the chip used to be. "The Elders would find us. She'd never be safe."

"So you...let her walk away."

"If you love something, set it free." He nodded. "And to be honest, Lily, I don't regret it. Because I just know she's still out there, fucking up ADVENT's day, and that's all I ever wanted~"

.

.

Up at dawn, as usual, the Shrinemaiden clasped her hands and breathed in the still morning air. The windows of the Avenger filtered in the orange light of the rising sun, casting it in a rainbow across the floor of her bedroom. She felt peaceful.

Until there was a knock on her door.

Kon-Mai opened her eyes, blinking at the sudden disturbance. Neither of her brothers had the tendency to awaken as early as she did so it was unlikely it was one of them. Perhaps Tygan? Or Bradford?

The person knocked again, and Kon-Mai rose from her lotus position, made her way to the opposite end of the room, and slid the door open. "...Betos."

"Mordenna." Betos nodded, her face cold. "Or should I call you Shrinemaiden?"

Kon-Mai hesitated at the coldness in her voice. "Is there something I can do for you, Captain?"

"Yes, there is. I have a patrol I'd like you to join today."

Kon-Mai cocked her head. "Is that an order?"

"...No." Betos hesitated. "But it is a _strong recommendation_."

"Does the Commander know about this?"

"She does." Betos crossed her arms. "I told her of my intentions last night."

Kon-Mai grimaced warily. Something was not right here, but...she WAS trying to earn Betos' trust, was she not? "Will it just be us?"

"No." Betos smiled, but it was more of a scowl. "My own team will be joining us."

"What will we be doing?"

"Patrolling the perimeter."

"I will need time to prepare."

Betos sighed. "Meet me outside, by the small cliff face to the west of the prairie. Do not take long, I have many people waiting for you."

Kon-Mai nodded, and Betos turned and left, leaving Kon-Mai standing there, bewildered.

.

.

With her spindly fingers, Abyzou picked up her amulet, the golden one shaped like a star. Her wrist was still sore and stiff, but handling the necklace carefully, turning it over and over, it felt warm against her cold skin, and gave her a bit of relief.

**"I am sorry."** She whispered, to no one in particular, but a presence behind her alerted her as she finished speaking.

**"Do not apologize, **_**lau Mordenna**_**."** Reue's soft essence behind her made her startle, and Abyzou turned to look at the smaller, weaker, younger Elder.

**"...It is only you?"** Abyzou seemed to sigh, and reached out her gangly hands to the younger's face. Her red-tipped fingers grazed fragile skin, and Reue's scratches bled purple ichor.

**"I came to help you."** Despite the injury dealt, she seemed to relax in Abyzou's presence. **"Do you need me…?"**

**"I always need you, Reue."** Abyzou crooned. **"Come, help me from my robes."**

**"You want me to...undress you, **_**lau Mordenna**_**?"**

Abyzou could feel Reue's fear, and it made her shiver with delight. The poor girl was so utterly useless. **"Yes, I do. Now help me quickly, I want to rest."**

Gently, Reue used her own bony hands to untangle Abyzou's lithe figure from her robes, lifting the helmet from her head so her skin might be free. The wispy cloth floated to the ground like petals on the wind, and Abyzou's grey, unworldly form was revealed.

When Elder Abyzou looked at herself in the mirror, she saw not the daughter of Shamash, who carried the blood of kings, and not a mother of six children, three of whom were dead: but the weathered body of a corpse that should have stopped moving years ago. She saw a dead woman whose time was running short.

When Reue looked at Abyzou, she saw her queen, her _Mordenna_, the daughter of the sun and the woman who would lead them to immortality.

**"Do you think I am beautiful?"** Abyzou asked her.

Reue froze. **"...Of course, **_**lau Mordenna**_**."**

**"But do you mean it?"** Abyzou looked back at her, and as she turned, Reue could see scars across Abyzou's stomach, angry and twisted.

She looked away. **"Of course I do."**

**"Of course you do."** Abyzou pressed one cold hand into Reue's cheek. **"You understand..."** She turned away. **"...Did you ever have children, Reue?"**

Reue seized up at the painful question. **"...Only one…"**

**"Only one."** Abyzou echoed. **"Well then you did your duty, Reue. You must be proud of yourself."**

**"Oh...I am."**

Abyzou seemed to hum. **"Of course you are. As I am, for the ones who live." **She mused. **"Even if they betray me, even if they forget me, they still live by the sweetness of my hand. It is my blood that runs within their veins."** She looked back at Reue. **"Who was your child?"**

**"A girl." **Reue said softly, painfully. **"Named Oxum-Loba."**

**"What a beautiful name."** Abyzou ran her hand over one, prominent scar on her chest, in the shape of a circle. **"Did you foster her yourself?"**

**"I did. We were poor, **_**lau Mordenna,**_** we had no one else."**

**"That is admirable."** Abyzou clenched her fists and Reue could hear her joints cracking. **"I fostered my first three children as well...and gave them everything I had." Abyzou's tone grew dark. "I gave them everything."**

**"Of course you did."**

**"And yet, they all abandoned me." **She hissed. **"I am the mother of six children, Reue, three who exist beyond the void, and three who have died in treachery."**

**"Kon-Mai is not dead, **_**lau Mordenna.**_**"** Reue said hopefully. **"Maybe she will come back to you."**

**"Oh she will."** Abyzou growled. **"She cannot ignore the gifts of her mother. She cannot abandon her **_**family**_**."** Abyzou turned away from Reue, moving back towards the coffin that was her bed. **"She knows her calling."**

.

.

Malinalli's mind was chaotic, blinding and dancing with luminous color. it felt like gazing into a supernova. Dhar-Mon was hit with a burst of heat, then light behind his eyes. He faltered for a bit and almost let go of her hands, but held on.

"Your first lesson…" He grunted out loud. "Never remove yourself suddenly from another's mind. It could...hurt you very much."

"Okay…" She held tight to his hands.

Dhar-Mon braced himself against the brightness yet again, only for it to flare and cause him to nearly buckle. "Your mind is very...active."

"I'm sorry." Malinalli said, and Dhar-Mon felt the light dim and the heat turn cool. "I guess I was excited…"

He chuckled, the swirls of blue and green now much more bearable to look at.

"So, what am I thinking?" Malinalli giggled.

Dhar-Mon stared into the cloud of colors for a moment, watching the patterns forming and twisting. "...You are…" He raised a brow. Now that the brilliance of her excitement had died, he could see the mists of her mind forming new messages. "You are not hopeful of your abilities. You believe you are setting yourself up for disappointment."

Malinalli gasped and tried to pull away, but he held her hands firm.

"I am sorry. Don't fret, I am here." He took a deep breath, and saw anxiety join her thoughts. "You think I will be disappointed."

He heard her whimper, and squeezed her hands gently.

"I just…" She was anxious, her mind frantically searching for words.

"You still believe your powers are weak." He chuckled. "Even though you brought me back from the dead?"

She was silent at that, and he saw the clouds in her mind grow dark.

"I am sorry." He rubbed his fingers over her hand. "I say so to encourage you. You are capable of so much, little phantom."

"How can you be sure?"

He released his mind, letting his own muscles relax, letting her into his thoughts.

"What do I think?" He asked.

He felt her tremble. "I don't know."

"Look into my mind." He said gently. He tried to make his own feelings as clear as possible. "What do you see?"

She was silent for a moment, but he could feel her slip into his own consciousness. "It's...purple. No, blue…" She sniffled again. "And green. It's very misty. I can't see very well."

"Those are patterns of thought, of feeling and emotion. The mind does not need language to communicate." He tried to summon up a happy thought, though it was hard to think of one. Finally he settled: he imagined his sister beside him, her fingers tracing his hand, bushing his hair away from his eyes as he awoke to her smile. "Now. What do you see?"

"The mist is making a pillar...kind of. No...a box? A triangle?"

"What color is it?"

"It's...bright. Warm colors, yellow and green are the two big ones."

"That is the shape of happiness." He smiled, taking a breath and bringing up another memory: his father Bhandasura, appearing before him like an apparition of doom, his hand outstretched as Dhar-Mon's mind was torn asunder that fateful day.

"Oh my-!" Malinalli gasped. "It collapsed! It's...like a puddle? No, like a claw!"

"That is despair." Dhar-Mon felt his own voice trembling, and cleared his throat. "Now, when I think of you, what image do you see?" He focused on the feel of her hands in his, and remembered the first time he saw her face. He remembered her singing, sitting by the river. He remembered the touch of her hand, the light in her eyes when she smiled at him, the sun reflecting off her copper skin, her smile, the desperation to reach her, the warmth of her arms as he lay dying…

"Oh…!" She cried. "It's...so beautiful!"

"What is it?"

"It's...a flower. Blooming from a seashell. It explodes and...now it's a star. And the sun. And...it keeps moving, pulsating, bigger and smaller. The seashell is still attached."

Dhar-Mon hesitated, his heart racing.

"What does it mean?" She asked.

"Well…" He fumbled for the words. "...It's trust and...admiration. It means that...I am fully confident in you, Malinalli." He hoped she could not feel his uncertainty. It wasn't technically a lie.

.

.

Kon-Mai stepped into the rising sunlight, out on the grass and sand of the Arizona prairie. The trees were sparse and the grass under her feet became sand as she grew closer to the shallow cliffs. Betos was nowhere to be found.

She looked back at the Avenger, which was still in sight, in fact she could see people moving in the windows. They waved to her occasionally. She waved back.

"So you did come."

Kon-Mai gasped, whipping around in surprise. There stood Betos, alone.

"Of course I did." Kon-Mai grumbled.

"Hmph." Betos still eyed her with suspicion, but she nodded and Kon-Mai took that as a good sign. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"I have something to show you, Shrinemaiden." Betos said her name with vexation.

"We are getting far from the ship." She looked back at the Avenger as they began to climb the slight incline of the sandy hills.

"Yes." Betos said. "It's not far."

Kon-Mai's hand moved to the dagger in her belt, ensuring it was still there. It was.

The prairie grass turned to rocky desert and sand, as the ground beneath their feet began to slope upward more and more. Kon-Mai looked around at the disappearing vegetation. "Where is the patrol?"

"Ahead." Betos said.

"Where are you taking me?" Kon-Mai demanded.

Betos stopped, looking back at the Chosen woman. "I sense you don't trust me."

Kon-Mai stood her ground. "You act suspicious."

"It is you who I should be suspicious of." Betos snapped. "And yet I am about to show you something sacred, _Mordenna_. You should hold your tongue, until you know how to use it."

Kon-Mai growled but fell silent, following Betos across the cliffs. The Skirmisher woman hadn't betrayed her yet, she supposed. She had no reason to think she would...

There were footsteps before them, and voices talking. She recognized the deep, throaty tones of Etheric, but the dialect was more twangy, spoken on the tongue.

"Savitr!" Betos called. "We have arrived."

From behind the scrawny trees, three Skirmishers appeared, a man and two women, each in their haphazard armor, each with uncertainty in their eyes as they saw Kon-Mai.

Betos turned to Kon-Mai. "They will lead us to the village."

"...Village?" Kon-Mai looked around. "What are you speaking of?"

"Betos, are you sure this is a good idea?" The man asked.

"I am." She replied. "If you wish to earn your title, Shrinemaiden, you must witness not just the humans' customs, but ours as well." She nodded to the group and moved ahead of them, descending the red cliffs into the canyon below.

Kon-Mai bowed to them, humbling herself. "I am sorry. I didn't realize we were going to your home…"

The male Skirmisher's golden eyes followed her as she moved, and he held her gaze for several moments before he returned her bow.

"Follow me." He nodded. "I am Savitr Vallinor." He gestured to the women by his side. "These are my sisters, Nitocris, and Tanith."

"I am Kon-Mai Mordenna." She bowed to them. "Lead, and I shall follow."

He turned his back on her, hesitantly, and led her down into the canyon.

.

.

"And then there was Alejandro." Gur-Rai blew a whistle. "He had an 8-pack, a very sexy accent, and _boy could he eat ass_."

Shen snorted as she laughed. "That's so gross!"

"Hey, I don't poop, remember?" He shrugged. "No reason it'd be gross!"

"Still!" Shen covered her face. "God! Okay, I'm done. Go on."

"He and I went back and forth for a year, at least, maybe more. He lived in the city center as an insurance salesman-"

"ADVENT had insurance?"

"Technically they did. It was a worthless product from a company that was pretty much a government front, but the office was a great hookup spot~" Gur-Rai winked. "Sometimes I'd spend whole weeks over at his apartment. He'd cook for us, we'd chill, I'd lay around being a lazy ass, it kinda felt like we were married sometimes."

"What happened to him?"

"Well." Gur-Rai smiled sadly. "The Elders found out about he had some psionics in him and...spirited him away."

"Oh...right the...missing civilians." She sighed. "Do you know where they took him?"

"Lily, they'd never tell me." He growled. "They knew about us…it's why they took him."

Shen sighed. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. I shouldn't have snapped at you, Lily. Besides...It's nice to remember all of them." He stood up. "We've been making progress this whole time, haven't we?"

Shen looked over her work. "I think that one combuster is still on the verge of exploding and the seat is way too low for you."

"What time is it?" Gur-Rai asked, tossing the oil cloth over his shoulder.

"Um…" Shen checked her watch. "Quarter to 11. Wow, time really flew."

"It does that when you have fun." Gur-Rai extended his hand. "Care to join me for a beer?"

"Not if it's a date, you aren't my type."

"Fair enough." He shrugged. "Really, I'd just hate to leave the conversation hanging. You're a very fun person to talk to, Doctor Shen."

She smiled and took his grip, pulling herself to her feet. "Fine then, I'll come along and you can tell me all about the vipers."

"Oh, looking are we?"

"Nope, but some of the soldiers won't shut up about them." She chuckled as they walked off. "I assume you've-"

"Oh, many times." He chuckled. "So Lily, what IS your type?"

"Electroactive polymers." She said.

.

.

Elder Kompira's skilled fingers danced over the forge, molding the superheated metal without even laying a finger on it. It was literal magic, and spellbinding to all who witnessed it. Even the Higher Elders would stop by to watch Kompira work.

Camazotz stood in the archway, gazing upon the younger Elder with intrigue in his eyes as he watched Kompira work. **"You have incredible hands, **_**Dessurik**_**."**

Kompira nodded. **"Thank you, **_**lau Madron**_**."**

**"Mind if I give it a try?"** Camazotz drifted forward and leaned over the workbench, blocking Kompira's view and forcing him to set the metal aside.

**"**_**Madron **_**I...am not sure that's a good idea."** Kompira's aura was always soft and meek, even moreso than Reue's, but it was also always calm. This kind of nervous sputtering his body was emitting was unlike him.

**"Of course it is a good idea! It is MY idea!"** Camazotz grabbed the metal, pulling it towards him in black and purple smoke.

**"Please be careful, **_**Madron**_**, it's very hot! You could burn yourself!" **Kompira cried, his hands shaking as he tried to reach out and protect the Elder from his own foolish decision.

**"Are you patronizing me?"** Camazotz demanded. **"I am your superior!"**

Kompira faltered. **"That is true, **_**Madron**_**, but I have been working with metals since the birth of Andromeda. It is a delicate process-"**

**"Do not think you know better than I, **_**lowly Dessurik**_**!"** Camazotz snapped.

**"**_**Madron**_**, I do this because I care about you!"**

That, finally, made Camazotz stop, contemplating his next move. He turned his eyes on Kompira, amusement apparent in his face.

**"Care about me?"** Camazotz chuckled. **"What a scandalous thing to say, Kompira. I am wedded, you know."**

**"That is not my intention, **_**Madron**_**…" **Kompira was shaking. **"I care for you like I would family or…"**

Camazotz cocked his head. **"Or a friend?"**

**"Yes…"** Kompira clasped his hands. **"And as your friend, I cannot allow you to take your health so frivolously! You are too dear to me, to this cause!"**

Camazotz nodded, and put the melted puddle of metal back in it's rightful place within the forge. **"Yes, Kompira."** He patted his subordinate's cheek harshly. **"We are friends, aren't we?"**

Kompira relaxed noticeably. **"Yes, **_**Madron**_**, of course we are."**

**"Good."** With barely a flick of his frail wrist, Camazotz dealt a sickening blow across Kompira's face. The slap rang out through the smithery, echoing in the metal halls and knocking Kompira to the ground., where the Ethereal lay crumpled, gasping in pain.

Camazotz laced his fingers together and leaned over Kompira's fallen form. **"A true **_**friend **_**would never doubt me."**

.

.

The village was large, possibly larger than what _could _be considered a village. In fact, it looked more like a small town. Savitr led Kon-Mai in through the front gates, where several small clusters of Skirmishers were milling about, out of armor and attending to seemingly mundane tasks.

The bright, hot sun of Arizona beat down upon them all, and Kon-Mai saw many of them were scarcely clothed, walking around in shorts with bare chests and minimal footwear. Even most of the women had done as the men did and ditched their shirts, opting to leave their chests exposed. Kon-Mai nearly reeled back at the sight, but stopped herself. Her own reaction drew a chuckle of amusement from her lips. In the face of their release from ADVENT, these people truly had found freedom, she supposed.

When the people saw her, they stopped what they were doing and stared at her, whispering to each other, keeping their distance. Some ran inside, closing the doors of buildings and slamming shutters. Some, in contrast, ran out to stare at her, as though she were…

_An alien._

"Did they know I was coming?" Kon-Mai asked Savitr.

"They had known you left ADVENT." He said. "However, many are...still hesitant."

She nodded. She couldn't blame them, after all. She even recognized some of them: she'd seen them in battle before. They were scared with cuts and lashes, and she recognized those marks. For she had made them

There was a commotion to her right, and a woman yelled out in broken Etheric "Ismene! _Do not tagh nukju vau!"_

There was a thump against Kon-Mai's leg, and she looked down in bewilderment.

A very small Skirmisher stood at her feet. It looked up at her with huge, innocent yellow eyes, it's head adorned with a red bow that was wrapped around it's skull, matching the red jumper it wore.

"What...are you?" Kon-Mai murmured in shock.

Savitr turned to her. "What do you mean?"

Kon-Mai backed up a bit, and the small Skirmisher reached out and grabbed at her pants. "My name is Ismene!" It chirped in a small voice, scratchy like the others, but high and soft. "You are pretty, what is your name?"

Kon-Mai looked to Savitr, trembling. "Why is it so small? Is it deformed?"

He laughed. "No no, _Mordenna_. SHE is a child."

Kon-Mai looked down at Ismene again, who was tapping her foot expectantly.

"Your kind can have children?" Her heart was racing, but she didn't know why as she knelt before the child. "...Hello, little one..."

"Hi." Ismene smiled wide, revealing a few missing teeth.

"How old are you...?" Kon-Mai felt a strange warmness filling her body as she spoke. The sight of this little one filled her with a feeling old and long forgotten, but so familiar.

Ismene held up nine of her fingers. "I am almost nine years old!" She said proudly.

"Nine years old…" Kon-Mai chuckled. "I am nine years old as well."

Ismene blinked, then giggled. "No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am." Kon-Mai returned her bright smile. The child's happiness was infectious.

"No, you're not!" Ismene giggled. "You are too tall!"

"I am tall." Kon-Mai chuckled. "Any you are very short~"

"I am not!" Ismene stomped her foot.

"Yes you are. I can barely see you from up here." Kon-Mai giggled at her reaction.

"Well, when I get older, then I will be tall like you!"

Kon-Mai raised a brow. "As tall as me?" She rose to her full eight-foot height. "Are you certain?"

Ismene was not deterred. "Yep!"

"Isme, come here!" A Skirmisher woman rushed forward and pulled the child away, bowing her head. _"Jx ez nuwun sewu, Mordenna!"_

"Please, do not worry." Kon-Mai answered in English. "She was causing no harm. In fact, she is a joyous child. It was…" She met Ismene's gaze, and that warmth filled her chest again "...a joy to meet her."

The woman looked up, shock and wonder written on her face as Kon-Mai bowed to her.

"Goodbye, _Mordenna_!" The little girl called after her, waving excitedly as she and Savitr walked away.

Kon-Mai drew close to him, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You are the remains of ADVENT soldiers, are you not? How can you bear children?"

He looked up at her, irritation his face. "Do not invoke ADVENT's name here, it will not help your case."

"I am sorry. But you did not answer me."

He sighed. "I do not know how. When we began to settle down, some of the soldiers wished for companionship. And that companionship led to the birth of many children." He looked around. "The oldest are now entering their teenage years, and will start seeing battle soon."

Kon-Mai cringed at the idea of little Ismene going into battle, against an enemy that could crush her with a thought. She was too young to see such conflict. They were all too young to see such conflict.

"How old are the new soldiers?"

"Not nearly old enough." Savitr sighed. "But we must do what we can to protect ourselves. We cannot rely on defectors forever."

Kon-Mai wanted to ask why more did not just leave. Then she remembered it literally took her death to break her from the Elders' hold. "...They will need training."

"They will." Savitr raised a brow at her.

"I can teach them the ways of a blade, if you wish." Kon-Mai said, almost eagerly.

Savitr seemed to hesitate, as though that comment had made him uneasy. But when he met her eyes, his face softened. "You would offer that to us?"

"If they will have me." She clasped her hands.

Savitr laid a hand over his chin. "I am not sure they would accept you...but those who did...could learn so much from you…" He nodded. "I will discuss it with Betos."

She nodded and looked around. "Is there any other way I can help this place, in the meantime?"

"Help? Are you offering, _Mordenna_?"

"I am." She flashed her teeth in a grin.

Savitr returned it with unease. "Simply patrol the parameters with me and my sisters." He said. "With luck, we will not need to use that blade of yours."

.

.

Their conversation was not with words, but with shapes, colors and mist. All around them, mist and motion, mist and motion.

Malinalli stepped forward through the deep curtains of mist in Dhar-Mon's mind. It was different from before, when their minds had been as one, when they had been psionically bonded. She retained her own body, her own thoughts, but if she looked around she could see the shapes of his mind. His thoughts formed patterns and stories without words.

"What is that?" She asked, pointing to a tall, blue pillar of mist.

"That is...duty." He said slowly. "My sense of conviction."

"Ah. And the red?" She pointed to a red swirl around the bottom.

"That…" He thought for a moment. "What does it look like to you?"

She concentrated on it for a moment. "...Dhar-Mon, there's something there…"

"What is-" He broke off as a shot of pain caused him to scream. He almost ripped his hands away but Malinalli held him.

"I'm so sorry!" She cried, backing away from it. "I didn't mean-"

Dhar-Mon was in his own mind yet again. There was darkness, the mist retreating like the ocean before a tsunami. Then, a brief flash of light, and an image crossed his field of vision, but only for a moment.

A child, with dusky skin, no more than a teenager at most, sat curled in the corner of a stark white room. He was thinner than a corpse, with patches of blue across his body where his usual dark skin was flaking and peeling off, and his hair lay around him in piles on the ground. His eyes were purple, and black where they should have been white…

Malinalli pulled him into her arms, and suddenly he was awake, conscious again. She was holding onto him, her arms around his neck as she trembled.

"I'm sorry."

"No." He pulled her close. "No. That was not you." He took a shaky breath, then let it out. "...I believe we should stop for today."

"Okay." She whispered into his neck, her face buried in his shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

"No." He put his hand on her back and pulled her closer. "You made such progress today, little phantom. I am proud of you…"

There was more he wanted to say, especially as she pulled away and looked him in the eyes with a smile as bright as the stars.

.

.

There was no time, down where they were. Yes, the days passed, but they could not see it. They slept for days or sometimes weeks, only to be awake again for a month.

Bhandasura was having one such bout of insomnia. He lowered his frigid body down onto the slab they called a bench, and tucked his robes around him. He hated this form, it's limitations, it's liability, and yet again he thought of all the ones he had known before who had ascended, leaving him behind.

**"Bhanda?"** A soft voice behind him said.

He sighed, cringing. **"Please, Abyzou."**

He felt her move, shift to lift herself from her bed, and float over to him. **"Are you still angry?"**

Was he angry? He didn't really know if "angry" described it. At the moment he simply felt sick. **"Please, I do not wish to fight anymore."**

Abyzou hesitated.

**"Why do you cause such grief, Abyzou?"** He rose and turned to look at her. **"Why do you do this to me?"**

She seemed to draw back within herself. **"I am so sorry, Bhanda."**

**"How do I know you are sorry?"** He demanded, his aura as cold as stone. Her silence left room for another, and he felt Camazotz enter the room.

**"Bhanda, is she bothering you?"**

**"You are such a demagogue, Camazotz."** Bhandasura turned on him. **"Both of you only think of yourselves."**

Camazotz looked as though he was about to turn on Abyzou, but Bhandasura had homed in on him and approached swiftly, getting in the face of the other Elder.

**"You bring trouble with what you say, knowing Abyzou will react."** Bhandasura growled. **"And then I get hurt. Do you know what that does to me?"**

**"I did not know Abyzou would…"** Camazotz trailed off. **"I am sorry, Bhanda."**

**"You say you are, but you will do it again."** He slumped back over to their bed and lay his body upon the mattress of cold, iridescent liquid, glowing blue. **"I doubt you mean what you say."**

**"That is not true." **Camazotz scoffed. **"Right, Abyzou?"**

**"Of course. I am always truthful to you, Bhanda."** She insisted.

**"And yet how can I believe you?"** He pressed a hand to his face. **"How can I truly believe you still honor the vows you took to me?"**

**"Please, Bhandasura."** Camazotz fell to his knees beside the bed. **"I will prove it to you."**

**"As will I!"** Abyzou fell beside him and gripped onto Camazotz. **"We...we love you! And we love each other just as much!"**

**"I do not believe you."** His words rang in their minds and stung deeply.

**"Tell us what to do then."** Camazotz reached for Bhandasura. **"Tell us how we can…"** He broke off as Bhandasura began to crawl forward, slithering like the Thin Men would, on gaunt arms and barely working legs.

**"Show me."** Bhandasura pressed one hand to Camazotz's cheek, and his own forehead to Abyzou's. With a gentle push, he felt their minds open to him like parting water.

**_"I love you."_** He whispered, pulling them towards the bed with him. **"I **_**love **_**you both."**

.

.

Gur-Rai pulled off the welding mask and stepped back. "Would you look at that. I think she's done, Lily."

Shen followed his motions, blowing a whistle through her teeth. "Okay, I'll admit it, I didn't think we could pull it off. But this? This looks amazing!"

The bike's blue casing glimmered in the setting sunlight. They'd somehow managed to fit it to be twice the size as before, Gur-Rai would have no trouble mounting it now. A high powered capacitor sat snugly in the front, and a turbo engine was tucked in the back. It looked like something out of TRON.

"With XCOM's greatest engineers on the task? Don't be silly, Lily." He chuckled. "This was child's play~"

"Okay, okay, don't hurt your back bending over to suck yourself." Shen smirked. "But I'm flattered. Thanks."

"Of course. I can't wait to test it out once we're on more even terrain."

"Mind if I take her for a spin sometime?" Shen winked. "She is my baby too."

"Go right ahead. I can co-parent like an adult." Gur-Rai slapped her back and Shen stumbled. "Oh, shit, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Shen chuckled. "Hey, I think Bryni is cooking buffalo wings in the canteen tonight."

"Didn't you say no dates, Lily?"

"Who said anything about a date? I wanna see which one of us can finish a plate the fastest." She grinned.

"Lily." He smirked. "I literally do not have a stomach."

"Well then, I guess this should be an easy win for me~"

"Oh, hold your horses, Dr. Shen." Gur-Rai grinned, bearing his sharp teeth. "Fine. You're on."

"Cool! Last one there's a rotten egg!" Shen took off, with Gur-Rai close on her heels as they jogged down the hall towards the canteen, laughing and screaming like children would.

.

.

Kon-Mai sat cross legged on the roof of the little hut. Ismene and about a dozen other Skirmisher children played below her, tossing a very dangerous looking rock between them and trying to strike it with a stick. Each crack of the stick making contact with said rock sent her nerves alight with worry, and she was getting ready to dive in if someone took said rock to the face. But the way the children laughed with joy lulled her back into ease. It all felt so right…

"This is…" Kon-Mai searched for the word. "Inspiring. I am nearly jealous of your tribe." She giggled.

"These children are the gifts of fortune." Savitr said, gazing over her but not quite meeting her eyes. "I suppose we do have to thank the Elders for that…"

Kon-Mai growled. "I would not thank them for anything. They merely did not steal your ability to have children. They did not bless you."

He chuckled. "I suppose that is true." He played with the laces on his boots. "You and your brothers…"

"What of them?" She asked.

He didn't say anything at first, and she couldn't quite read him. His face was like hers, almost. Cold and emotionless.

"You are not like us." He finally said. "My sisters and I were born from the same pod. We have been together all our lives."

"What are you suggesting?" She growled.

"Did you not fight with your brothers?" Savitr asked.

She was about to snap at him, but stopped. She had fought with them, after all. For years, their conflicts had escalated, sometimes reaching all out battles. More than once she had attempted to "reign in" the other two by brandishing her weapon at them, and more than once it had ended with them fighting, literally, to the death.

And more than once, the Elders had reiterated their oath to one another. _No matter how you disagree, how your anger swells, you shall do each other no harm. You are all our children. You all have our love._

They had lied about so much, they had beaten their "beloved children," left them to die, so why did they insist on forging this bond?

Even out of their clutches, she held it. In fact, they had cultivated it even further. Out of the Elders clutches, suddenly they were not shy to engage with each other physically and emotionally. Their drive to fight was gone, all because they were free.

Why was it not so before? What else were her masters lying about?

"I'm sorry, _Mordenna_." Savitr said, and Kon-Mai realized she had been silent for some time. "I did not mean to upset you."

She finally looked up again. "My brothers and I stand in solidarity, having faced the wrath of our former masters and survived." She nodded. "If we had any rivalry before, it disappeared when we were taken from the Elders' grasp. We are…" She hesitated to use the word. "We are _family_ now."

Savitr nodded. "I am happy you have found such peace with them. They are good soldiers." He looked back over the playing children. "The future holds promise for you, _Mordenna_."

Kon-Mai looked down just as Ismene caught the rock, holding it up in the air in childlike victory.

She smiled. "I certainly hope it does."

.

.

On their bed of silken blankets and otherworldly light, the three Elders lay within one another, hands clasped, legs entangled, Abyzou in the middle, Camazotz with his head on her stomach, and Bhandasura's long body encircling them all.

**"The future holds such promise for us."** He whispered to them. **"My dearest loves."**

**"Of course it does. We stand upon a foundation of friendship and trust." **Camazotz reached out and gripped Bhandasura's shoulder.

Abyzou sighed, her cold hands wrapping around them both. **"And we shall live to see our family blossom once again." **

* * *

(The moral of this story is that the Elders are all horrible people, to their very core.

It was fun to explore each Elder's individual personality, especially when contrasting it to the Chosen, but they are all absolutely shitty in their own way, and I hope I conveyed that!)


	16. Boat Ride to Vorontsovo

"Mail time!"

The bar was relatively empty, only a few other soldiers having set up in there for the afternoon. Princess and Tisiphone were arguing about something again, but this time Tiwaz was there as well to remind them to please keep the conversation at an indoor level. Mithridates had set up with his laptop in the corner and was playing (and losing) a game of chess against the computer.

Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai had shoved aside the remains of their breakfast (which was just green tea for Kon-Mai and a piece of toast with spicy mustard for Gur-Rai) and were now sitting across from each other with a deck of Uno cards. Neither of them knew how to play, however, so they had pretty much been making up a totally new game that was somewhat of a combination between Poker, Go Fish and BS.

At the sound of the yell, everyone looked up to attention as Bradford strolled into the bar, waving a stack of envelopes. The other soldiers got to their feet and rushed over, hands out like eager little pigeons awaiting breadcrumbs. Kon-Mai returned her attention to the cards in her hand, confident that there would be no mail for her. Gur-Rai, however, stood up and waved the Central Officer over.

"Central!" He called. "Anything for little ol' me?"

"Actually." Bradford walked over to them, thumbing through the huge pile before pulling out an envelope and handing it to Gur-Rai. "Here you go. And for your sister…" He pulled out another one and plopped it in front of Kon-Mai, who picked it up and stared at it in confusion. "That's all." Bradford began to walk off, but Kon-Mai jumped to her feet.

"Central, what is this?" Kon-Mai demanded. "We have no family to contact us. We should not be getting mail."

"That's your paycheck." Bradford said casually.

"...I beg your pardon?"

"Your paycheck." Bradford looked up at her and chuckled. "...You didn't think you were working here for free, did you?"

Kon-Mai blinked, completely taken aback. "...What...what do I do with this?"

"Have you never gotten a paycheck?"

"The Elders weren't big on fair wages." Gur-Rai said as he tore open his envelope and looked over his pay stub. "Oooh. Not bad, Central."

"What use do _we _have for money?" Kon-Mai puzzled.

"Well...it depends." Bradford shrugged. "Some of the refugee camps have convenience stores that still take Old World cash."

Kon-Mai rolled her eyes. "I have little need for such small trinkets."

Bradford scowled. "Well maybe the Black Market is more up your alley."

"The what?" Gur-Rai lit up like a Christmas tree upon hearing those words.

"Yeah, ask the Commander about it. I gotta hand out the rest of these." He stopped as Dhar-Mon entered the bar, and dug out another paper. "Hieromonk."

"Hm?" Dhar-Mon took the paper, his reaction quite similar to Kon-Mai's. "What is this?"

"That is your paycheck, Brother~" Gur-Rai chuckled.

"Central, I cannot accept this!" Kon-Mai shook her head. "This is valuable funding that XCOM needs to acquire weaponry!"

"You're a soldier like any other. You get a paycheck." Bradford said. "Look, if you don't want it, just take the cash and give it to another soldier. Give it to Tygan. Or the Commander. Or me, hell knows I could use a raise. It's your money." He griped like an old man as he walked away, leaving Kon-Mai standing there, dumbfounded.

"You forget, Sister, XCOM soldiers aren't mindless drones." Gur-Rai folded his check. "They probably need more of a reason to stay than just loyalty to a cause."

"But why give us this?" Dhar-Mon mused. "We would never leave. We have no place else to go."

"Perhaps it's the principal of the matter." Gur-Rai stood up. "In any case, I definitely want to know more about this…'Black Market' that Central mentioned~"

.

.

They stopped by the "clerk", which was just a safe in the armory connected to a computer that still ran Windows 7. Kon-Mai stuck her check into the little slot a the bottom and stared at the screen as that god-forsaken loading symbol sat there, taunting them, for a good two minutes until another screen finally popped up.

"Please select your currency." The computer said aloud.

Kon-Mai looked back at her brothers for help. "What currency is even accepted at the markets?"

"I guess it depends on what country it's in." Gur-Rai leaned over her shoulder and read through the options. "Oh, go for American."

"Why?"

"Because America is always the country you see in movies." He shrugged.

"I do not believe America exists any more." Dhar-Mon said.

"Still, most people will recognize it! So their currency has to be valuable!"

Kon-Mai grimaced. "I think not." She looked around for a moment, finally clicking on Japanese Yen.

"Oh, fine then. Don't listen to me."

"Shut up." She smirked as she typed in the amount she wanted to withdraw. The machine whirred for a moment, shuddering worryingly, and then opened up a slot and spat out a wad of bills and a few coins. Kon-Mai took them, counted them meticulously, and then tucked them into her belt.

"Okay, my turn." Gur-Rai pushed though as Kon-Mai turned to the door, where Dhar-Mon was still standing, reading over his check.

"Are you alright, Brother?"

He looked up at her, worry apparent on his face. "I simply do not feel right taking money from XCOM. After the grievous atrocities I committed…"

"Grievous atrocities?" A voice behind him giggled.

Dhar-Mon jumped, his palms glowing with psionic power, but behind him only stood Senuna.

"Commander!" He dropped to one knee, as though he were once again worshiping the Elders. Senuna at first seemed to smile at this, before she shook her head and patted his shoulder.

"No no no, up up." She coaxed him gently. "No need for that, Dhar-Mon. I actually was just looking for you three!"

"Hello Commander!" Gur-Rai called as he dropped a handful of pennies onto the floor.

Senuna waved at him. "So. Shen and I were about to take a trip to the Black Market-"

Kon-Mai raised a brow. "We had heard about this 'Black Market' earlier. From Bradford."

"'Course you did!" Senuna winked. "So I thought, I COULD use my regular security detail, BUT, I also have a bunch of big, scary Chosen who I'm sure would love some time out! Whatddya say?"

"I say hell yes!" Gur-Rai called as he stuffed the dollar bills into his pocket.

"Do we need any specific currency?" Kon-Mai asked.

"Oh, no, the Black Market takes anything. Some traders will bitch about certain exchange rates but overall, if it's money, they'll take it!"

"Wonderful." Kon-Mai looked to her eldest brother. "Dhar-Mon? What do you think?"

He hesitated for a moment. "If you and Gur-Rai both think it a good idea…"

"Brother, you don't have to go if you don't want to." Gur-Rai said.

"That is true but…" He didn't say it, but Kon-Mai could see he did not want to leave the comfort of their little trio.

"So it's settled then!" Senuna giggled and clapped. "Well I have to get ready, so meet me in the garage in...about 2 hours!"

Kon-Mai stared at Senuna in disbelief as she sauntered away, and Gur-Rai chuckled.

"How that woman became Commander will always be one of the world's greatest mysteries." He said.

.

.

The Avenger had landed near the ocean, dropping from it's main deck a life vessel that could only hold a few people at most. Crammed inside this tiny boat were all three of the Chosen, Lily Shen, and Senuna herself who, under the black cloak that covered her, wore one of her best summer dresses with a garish flower print, thus requiring the cloak. In fact, they had all had to conceal themselves, and seemed to have blended in nearly perfectly with the night. The gentle hum of the boat was the only noise as they splish-splashed through the water towards the distant lights.

The buildings on the shore were dark and quiet, with nary a sign of life as they approached. Gur-Rai realized he was holding his breath, and forced himself to release it. His sister pushed herself further to the front, in front of her brothers as though to protect them.

As they got closer and closer to shore, they saw the eyes. The moving shadows of people watching them from the windows and on the corners, just barely there enough to see, but not identifiable. In fact Gur-Rai was beginning to question if they really were there at all. Perhaps he was imagining the little moving shapes…

Until, as they passed the docks, a group of men came seemingly from nowhere, guns trained on them. They were yelling something in Russian, and if Gur-Rai closed his eyes and listened, he could just barely make out the words _"Stop! State your name! Who are you with?!"_

"Ya Komandir XCOM." Senuna said, in fluent Russian. "Menya zovut Senuna. Sprosite Ledi Nuwa, ona khorosho menya znayet."

The men spoke among themselves for a minute, and one of them walked off into a nearby building. The silence was thicker than tar, until one man jabbed his rifle into Gur-Rai's shoulder, yelling something else that he could only barely understand from snippets of long forgotten memory. _"Why is ADVENT here?!"_

He heard Kon-Mai hiss at that-she must have understood 'ADVENT' at least- and Senuna smiled and spoke to them again: "Ikh bol'she net s ADVENT. Teper' oni svobodnyye lyudi."

"Razve oni ne Izbrannyye?" The man whacked Gur-Rai in the head with the mouth of his pistol.

"Sprosite Ledi Nuwa. Ona khotela by uslyshat', chto ty brosayesh' mne vyzov." Senuna spat with fire in her voice.

The previous man came back and said something, to which the man with the gun spat into the boat and growled. Gur-Rai heard him say _"You may go."_

Senuna bowed, and the boat prattled forward, the tall concrete buildings on either side of the canal slowly fencing them in, making them all claustrophobic. Gur-Rai felt Dhar-Mon reach out, and he took his hand, smiling back at him to comfort him.

The buildings began to thin out, and Kon-Mai leaned forward. "Why are we not stopping?"

"We're not there yet." Senuna whispered. "Leskino is just the gateway."

"So where are we going?"

Senuna merely smiled at her. "You'll know when you see it~"

The canal widened into a large, open bay, and once again the little boat was tossed against the waves of the dark waters. Dhar-Mon was squeezing Gur-Rai's hand, and even Kon-Mai had shrunk back, clinging to her brothers. When Gur-Rai peered over the boat into the dark waters, he swore he felt something staring back at him from the depths, with teeth as sharp as his and twice the size, just waiting for one of them to take a tumble overboard…

He grabbed his sister around her shoulders and pulled her in close.

The boat bobbed and floated toward where the bay began to narrow once again, and Senuna pointed forward. "That way is where we're going."

Gur-Rai pried his eyes away from the dark, churning water, and gazed forward at the lights of the town cutting through the darkness. He saw other boats, some large, others smaller than their own, bobbing along the docks. Even from out here he could hear talking and shouting, and saw the dark figures of sailors hauling their cargo to shore.

"Vorontsovo." Senuna said excitedly. "The Black Market."

"Oh." Gur-Rai smiled despite his trembling insides. "Sounds magnificent."

"It's a hive of scum and villainy. You'll love it." Shen winked.

As the boat got closer, he could see even more of the colorful silhouettes that surrounded them. The boats parked there were massive, towering ships of antiquity, some made of steel and concrete, others only of wood. They parked the little dinghy in between two such ships, and Senuna leapt out and dragged it to shore. She was surprisingly strong.

Shen got out next, and Gur-Rai joined her, helping his sister from the boat first, then his brother. Now that they were on land, they conspicuously towered over everyone at the docks, and yet no one seemed to pay them any mind, so lost they were in the hustle to unload cargo.

Senuna put her hood down and unbuttoned her cloak, letting it hang loosely around her shoulders and revealing her obnoxious dress. "We made it, everyone!" She waved them over. "This way! And don't fall behind, it's easy to get lost in this place~"

They weaved their way into the crowd, and as they did, the colors and sounds increased in intensity. They pushed their way past the sailors, some of whom already had drinks in hand, and the small stands and vendors sitting on blankets grew more and more frequent, lining the streets. Many of them called out to the group, beckoning them over to sample their wares. Occasionally one would slip a glance at the Chosen under their hoods, and the calling would promptly stop.

Gur-Rai's sharp eye caught the sight of several women, and a few men, wearing extremely flashy, garish outfits, even for this place. A he followed one with is eyes, a blonde girl with a long red ball gown, she glanced at Kon-Mai and whistled to her, waving and giggling. Gur-Rai huffed as Kon-Mai looked between them in confusion.

"What?" Kon-Mai looked around. "What is going on?"

"Don't worry about her, Sister." He chuckled. "She's just a...lady of the night."

"Of the night? Like me?" She smiled. "They are stealth warriors?"

"Um...no." He chuckled. "They're not."

"But you said-"

"They're prostitutes." Shen called back to them, and Gur-Rai watched as Kon-Mai's blue skin turned purple with realization and embarrassment.

The street grew more packed as they walked, and Gur-Rai looked up at the buildings towering above them. The light of the moon illuminated the tops of the rickety buildings, and he saw that the old concrete structures were also full of people, leaning out the windows and watching those who shopped below.

"See that building up there?" Shen pointed towards the end of the road, where a large cliff face blocked off the market. Within the stone, there seemed to be carved an old temple, great and looming, with dark windows spreading across it's walls.

"Spooky."

"Yep. That's where we're going." She sounded cheery. "I can't wait for you guys to meet...well, you'll see."

Gur-Rai looked up at the temple again, and swore he saw a figure standing there. Watching them.

.

.

Senuna removed her cloak and draped it over one arm, despite the temperature continuing to drop as the night went on. Gur-Rai and Dhar-Mon were huddling together for warmth, the big man providing a significant amount of it, and even Kon-Mai (who was naturally cold) was beginning to shiver.

Shen ran up ahead of them, towards two armed guards who stood at the end of the road. She spoke to them, not in Russian this time, but Chinese. They nodded to her, stepping aside and bowing to her, as she gestured for the others to follow her through the now open gates. "This way!"

"How'd you do that?" Gur-Rai asked, trying to keep his teeth from chattering.

"You'll see in a bit." She smiled as they made their way down the stone pathway.

Instead of a garden of plants, the front yard of this shrine was populated with large spires of colorful rocks, placed within indentations in the sandy ground. Strange patterns had been carved into the sand, and Kon-Mai's eyes widened with interest. "What a lovely arrangement." She mused softly.

"Yeah…" Shen chuckled. "Nothing grows here, so…."

"Lady Nuwa had to improvise." Senuna chuckled, and pushed open the large metal door of the building.

It was dark inside, illuminated only by dim crystals of various colors, drilled into spots all over the walls. The main hall was empty, the ceiling tall and looming and the walls made of ebony stone so cold and dark, it made it so their steps echoed off the stone walls. However, from a staircase to their right, another set of footsteps could be heard.

They turned, and Gur-Rai saw a woman who looked so much like Shen, he almost called her that.

She descended the stairs in a purple dress that looked much too plain for someone who lived in this building, and her hair was tied in a bun so messy, most of her hair was actually falling out around her shoulders.

"An-Yi." The older woman's stony, wrinkled face morphed into a smile, and she picked up her skirt and ran down the stairs, where Shen met her in a tight hug.

"Wǒ xiǎngniàn nǐ." Shen pulled away and turned to her compatriots. "Guys, this is-"

"Lady Nuwa Shen. Owner and proprietor of the Hēi Shìchǎng, Mayor of Vorontsovo, and proud mother of An-Yi Shen." The woman said, her back straight and her eyes piercing as she scanned the three of them. Her gaze lingered on the three Chosen for an uncomfortable minute, and then she turned to Senuna. "Now, Sīlìng, what have you brought into my city?"

"Mom, these are our...new recruits~" Shen giggled. "The, formerly, Elders' Chosen."

Lady Nuwa sighed, closing her eyes in familiar resignation.

"I told you I could do it~" Senuna was giggling like a schoolgirl.

"Of course you did, but do you blame me for doubting you?"

"Of course I do. You should know better by now!"

"Nǐ yītuánzāo." Nuwa snapped at her.

"Mom." Shen said. "Think we can head upstairs? We've been walking a long time and my feet hurt."

"Of course An-Yi! Where are my manners!" Nuwa bowed to the Chosen. "Please follow me. We shall conduct business in the drawing room."

"Business?" Dhar-Mon asked.

"Of course." Nuwa smiled. "That is why you're here, is it not?"

.

.

The drawing room was significantly more comfortable, with velvet pillows and curtains and colorful wallpaper coating the walls. There was a hookah on the table that Kon-Mai had smacked Gur-Rai for trying to take a hit of, and in the corner was a small stove that was boiling mint tea. The room seemed to be a mix of decor from all over the world, and all of it looked rare and expensive. Dhar-Mon was enthralled with some of the tapestries on the walls, depicting stylized scenes of ancient warriors, while Kon-Mai had settled into her lotus pose on one of the pillows, looking completely in her element.

Nuwa took the kettle off the stove and poured six cups of tea, which smelled strongly of mint. She handed the first one to Shen with a loving look, then passed the rest around to her other guests.

"You have impeccable taste, Lady Nuwa." Dhar-Mon said as he took his cup. "Many of this art has not been seen in...quite some time."

"I am very resourceful." She replied, narrowing her eyes at him. "ADVENT can't destroy everything, and what they miss, I keep."

"It is certainly a collection to be proud of." Kon-Mai said. "You control this market, then? All of it?"

"Of course I do!" Nuwa said with a smile that seemed somewhat forced. "I built this place from the ground up, you know. It started as just me and my little shrine, and became something truly grand."

"Incredible." Gur-Rai nodded. "All this under the nose of ADVENT?"

"Absolutely. ADVENT is very stupid." Nuwa sat down in a large, ornate chair and crossed her legs, tucking her purple skirt around her knees.

Dhar-Mon looked taken aback at her forwardness. "...I...suppose…"

"Yes. They are clueless. They don't know us humans, how we think, how we feel. They barely have a hold over the territory they do control. It takes very little effort to go around them, and would take even less to force them out." She sat back and looked to Senuna. "You wanted to make a deal, yes?"

"Yes." Senuna scooted closer. "Shen told me you came into possession of some plans for the Hellweave Armor."

Nuwa looked over at her daughter. "Are you running your mouth again?"

"I can't help it! I got excited!" Shen giggled.

Nuwa looked back at Senuna. "Maybe I did."

"Mhm. Any chance we could get a jump on that?"

"Just because my daughter favors you doesn't mean I do." Nuwa leaned on her hand. "Besides I already have a buyer. The Golden Horde is interested and they have the coin to back it."

"Nuwa~" Senuna chuckled. "I'm good for much more than coins. You know that~"

"Do I, Sīlìng?" Nuwa raised a curious brow. "Do I know that?"

"Well you husband did." Gur-Rai piped up. "He worked for XCOM, didn't he? This'd be a nice tribute to his memory."

A cold silence fell over the room, and Shen hissed at him, making a slashing motion across her throat.

"My husband." Nuwa said softly, her teacup shaking in her hand. "Yes. My husband. He loved XCOM. More than he loved me."

"Oh boy." Senuna whispered.

"And certainly more than he loved his daughter!" Nuwa snapped. "Do not get me STARTED on my husband, who uprooted his entire family to go chase a half-baked dream in the U.S."

"But XCOM was a government fund-" Gur-Rai shur up as his sister dug her claws into the back of his neck.

"Did he ASK me if I wanted to relocate? No he did not! We were perfectly fine in Taiwan and all of a sudden, I have to leave behind MY entire family, An-Yi never even got to see her grandparents again before the aliens attacked!" She stood up, leaning forward with her hands on the table. "And when XCOM fell, when his little escapade proved useless, MY HUSBAND was more obsessed with protecting his damn ROBOTS, than he was his own wife and daughter!"

"Mom." Shen whimpered. "Stop, we get it."

"So no, Madron, I don't give XCOM any special treatment. I had to struggle and canive and claw my way up here, all to ensure my daughter and I didn't DIE in this wasteland MY HUSBAND left behind. I have other customers besides them, and I don't rely on any one person to make this market as prosperous as it is. That was all _my_ hard work. _Me_." She sat back down, silence hanging over the room.

Dhar-Mon cleared his throat. "With respect, Commander, I think it would be best to leave you to conduct business with Lady Nuwa...alone." He motioned for his siblings to follow him.

"Agreed." Kon-Mai stood, pulling Gur-Rai to his feet. "Perhaps we shall sample some of the storefronts."

"Yeah…" Shen stood slowly. "Do you mind if I go with Mom? I can...make sure they don't get lost."

"Of course, Bǎobǎo, just be careful! Tell them I sent you!" Nuwa called to them, reaching out and squeezing Shen's hand as the mechanic slipped out beside the Chosen.

.

.

Kon-Mai handed the vendor a few metal coins and gave one of the small fried confections to Dhar-Mon, who sniffed it curiously and gave a confused look. Gur-Rai broke off a piece of his and held it up near Shen's mouth. Shen ignored him.

"Come on." He chuckled. "I don't even need to eat this, you do."

"I'm not that hungry." She muttered.

"You paid for it." He said. "Don't wanna let it go to waste, do you?"

"Perhaps there is a scrap vendor around." Kon-Mai mused. "You could acquire some new parts, Shen."

"Mom keeps all the worthwhile stuff at the shrine." Shen sighed.

Dhar-Mon took a bite of the fried dough, looking around. He pointed to a shop window and muttered something around the food in his mouth.

"Pardon, Brother?" Kon-Mai looked over. "Oh!" She gasped. "A fabric vendor!"

"You planning on making drapes?" Gur-Rai asked.

"I am planning on making _myself _several new articles of clothing!" She retorted.

"What, your XCOM alloted clothes aren't good enough?" He smirked. "I thought we had all we needed on the ship."

"Well, I was considering making you some fitting pants as well, but since you are so very rude-"

"Oh beautiful and gracious sister of mine!" Gur-Rai bowed obnoxiously. "You are most generous to think of me, your humble brother, in his hour of need. And yes I desperately need pants."

"That is better." She smirked. "Dhar-Mon, would you like to accompany me?"

"Of course, Little Sister."

Kon-Mai waved to Shen and Gur-Rai as she and their brother disappeared into the crowd, and Gur-Rai was left alone with Shen once again.

He turned to her. "Anything you wanna see, Lady Lily?"

"Don't call me that." She muttered.

He paused. "...Okay, I'm sorry about earlier. But in my defense, how was I to know your mother would throw a fit?"

Shen didn't say anything at first, and Gur-Rai had half a mind to stop talking. Unfortunately, the other half won out, and he _kept _talking.

"It was stupid of me." He followed up. "So, I apologize."

"It's...not your fault. You didn't know." She sighed. "I just wish I could bring up Dad without her throwing a tantrum about it."

"It's a shame." He nodded, grabbing her arm and gently pulling her through a tough spot in the crowd. "From his ADVENT files, he seemed like a remarkable man."

"...He was." She said softly. "And, don't get me wrong, Bradford and the Commander spare no details about him, they'll tell you anything and everything they know. But…" She crossed her arms. "I just wish I remembered him as a dad. Not as Raymond Shen but...as Dad."

"...How old were you?" Gur-Rai asked. "When he…?"

"Eleven." She said. "I know it doesn't seem that long ago but...I'm 33 now, and I can't even picture his face anymore."

Gur-Rai looked away. "Well, surely he left you something. I thought humans wrote out wills for their loved ones."

"Not that I've ever seen. Honestly, I'd just love to ask my mom what he was like before all this…"

"If the previous conversation is any indicator, that is not a good idea."

"I know, Gur-Rai. I've tried." She looked up. "The most I've been able to garner is, their marriage was not great."

"I can't imagine!" Gur-Rai chuckled. "She seems so sweet and mild."

Shen snorted in laughter. "Not Mom. She was a hardass even when Dad was alive." She sighed. "...Taiwan wasn't big on women being independent. I think she had other dreams besides raising me. Dreams of owning her own business…"

"Well." Gur-Rai raised his arms. "She has that now, the greatest business on planet Earth, quite literally. And she did that with you on her hip, Lily."

Shen smiled. "Yeah…" She sniffled. "She may have hated Dad but...she always made it clear she loved me."

"At least you had that." He chuckled. "Better one parent who loves you, than three who despise you."

"Sounds like you have experience with that."

"You think _your _parents argued?" Gur-Rai smirked but it was forced. "Our parents alternated between constant screaming and constant fucking. And if they weren't screaming at each other, they were screaming at something I or one of my siblings did. Usually me."

"God...that sounds awful." Shen said. "And you said three? How many were there?"

"The three who 'birthed' us were the head honchos. They were married, all three of them, but no one else got to be in on that inner circle so it wasn't an open marriage by any means." He said. "The others didn't have much to do with us besides checking in once in a while. I think Kompira made Kon-Mai's sword but that's all the contact those two had." He shook his head. "No, the big three were in charge of us, for better or worse. And oh, _they just set the best example~_" Gur-Rai faked a gagging motion.

"Huh…" Shen chuckled. "Suddenly a LOT makes sense~"

He nudged her, laughing, and she stumbled. As he dove to catch her, his foot slipped and the two landed on the ground in a heap.

"Ow." Shen grimaced. "Get off me, you big blue ogre."

"My sincerest apologies, Lady Lily." He knelt dramatically as she stood. "Please, allow me to lick your shoes~"

"Fuck off!" She cackled.

.

.

"Where did they get Tussar silk?!" Kon-Mai gasped, running her hand over the fabric. "I had thought it all lost in the raid of Bhagalpur."

"Lost but not forgotten, it seems." Dhar-Mon said as he, too, browsed the rolls of cloth. His hand brushed over a purple velvet dress, and he lifted it from the rack to view it further. "This is old, from long before the invasion...I can sense the history of it."

"Let me see it." His sister rushed over to the fabric he was viewing and he held it out for her.

"A connoisseur of historical artifacts, are you, Sister?" He raised a brow.

"Human history is so...rich and vibrant." She took the velvet from his hands. "I can feel it as well. This dress is as old as the Black Plague of the 1400′s." She smiled. "I would wear it myself, but I am afraid I would ruin it."

"How would you ruin it?"

"My great height." She growled. "No human woman was ever as tall as me, and if they were they did not wear dresses like this."

"You could undo the stitches and tailor it." Dhar-Mon suggested. "Make the dress your own."

She shook her head. "No, no, I could not bear to defile a work of art such as this." She placed it back on the rack and went back to looking at the silks. "Tell me, Brother, what clothes would you wear in a casual setting?"

He blushed slightly. "I was...hardly ever without my armor. When I was, I was being bathed by my attendants, or was in my sleeping chamber.."

She chuckled. "What of your priestly robes?"

"They are...quite formal." He admitted. "When you say casual, I assume you ask what I will wear when socializing in the Avenger. I would rather have something...innocuous."

She looked surprised. "Perhaps Bhandasura's attack did more to you than the doctor assumed, because the old Dhar-Mon wouldn't dream of such a thing."

He looked away. "Yes...the old Dhar-Mon had much to learn."

"Well then, my dearest brother, perhaps a woolen sweater like Gur-Rai's? Or something a bit more practical?" She abandoned the silk and began sifting through the sturdier fabric. "How much hard labor do you expect to partake in?"

"All the soldiers require of me."

"Hm." She looked over the racks. "Perhaps denim then, or a blend, something that can be used for both comfort and the occasional strong-man activity." She chuckled. "Your shirts, however, I'll make softer."

"When did you take interest in sewing?" Dhar-Mon asked as he watched her prattle away.

"When my armor became severely damaged and I had to repair it on my own." She replied.

"The...Elders did not help you?"

She hesitated. "...Vox Kompira reforged a few of the plates. But the cloth...no, I had to do that myself. And when it's a matter of life of death…" She smiled. "I simply became good at it."

Dhar-Mon hesitated, still thumbing through the clothing racks. The words were on his lips but he was reluctant to speak them.

"Cotton maybe…? No, too flimsy. Oh, perhaps Muslin Soft-" She looked up at Dhar-Mon. "Is something the matter, Brother?"

He looked up, was about to say no, don't worry, all is well, but instead he opened his mouth and blurted out- "Can you teach me to sew?"

Kon-Mai blinked, stunned, while Dhar-Mon turned purple and wished for death.

"I...well…" He stammered. "You do not have to. Not at all. It is very dear to you, this activity, and you do not have to entertain…"

She reached out and put a hand on his arm, and when he met her gaze, she was smiling.

"Dhar-Mon." She said. "I would be honored to teach you to sew."

He squirmed a bit. "I know it is not the most…" He cleared his throat and fell silent.

"The most what?" She asked.

"The most…" He was so afraid to look her in the eyes. "This is not an insult towards you, Sister, I swear, but...it is not very masculine."

She scoffed. "Dhar-Mon, I'm surprised at you. To let something like gender perception hold you back?" She saw him begin to crumple and hugged him. "No no, I am just joking with you."

"Will anyone think of me differently if I practice such a skill?" He asked, feeling like a child in her strong, motherly arms.

"If they do, then they will not think long before my blade severs their head from their body." She pulled away and squeezed his shoulders. "It is a skill, Dhar-Mon, and I am happy to teach you it."

He took her hands. "...Thank you, Kon-Mai."

"Oh Brother, it's what I'm here for." She smiled. "Let us make our purchase and return to Gur-Rai, before he does something I'll regret."

"Is there anything else you wanted?" He questioned as she gathered the fabrics and patterns she had chosen.

Kon-Mai thought for a moment. "Perhaps some…" She shook her head. "It's nothing useful."

"Sister!" He put his hands on his hips. "You dare judge your interests on their use?"

She burst into a raspy laugh at the sight of him. "Well...I did want to peruse the shops, in case they had any...cosmetics."

"Cosmetics…?"

She tapped her cheeks. "Make-up. I…don't have any at the Avenger, and while it's rare that I wear any I do miss being able to...pretty myself for special occasions."

"But you are already pretty."

She rolled her eyes. "Did you not just tell me to stop judging my interests based on use? I don't care how the humans view my appearance as much as I simply...appreciate the art."

Dhar-Mon seemed to take a minute to process this, then something clicked in his head and he nodded. "If that is the case, I shall help you find what you desire."

She smirked. "I think this has become a mutually beneficial exchange. I give you sewing lessons, and you pay for my cosmetics~"

"Yes." He put his hand on her shoulder and the two made their way to the front.

.

.

"How long should we give the Commander?" Shen asked, pulling a piece of cotton candy off of Gur-Rai's stack and shoving it into her mouth.

"Dunno. She's talking to your mom, I thought you'd have more of a time frame for this." Gur-Rai let the piece of candy sit on his black tongue for a moment before putting it in his mouth. "Finally a food that melts on contact for everyone else, too."

"Is that what eating is like for you?" Shen whistled. "That's sad."

"Our parents figured since they don't need to eat, we don't either."

"Your parents can suck a dick."

"They can't actually. No mouth."

Shen throat for a moment. "...Do they have other holes?"

Gur-Rai blinked. "I don't know, Lily. I didn't ask my fuckwad abusive masters if they like to stick things up their butts."

Shen snorted, spitting out a glob of cotton candy spittle, covering her mouth as she muttered "I am so sorry oh my god."

"You're fine." He flashed a toothy grin. "Karma works fast." He looked up, and his smile suddenly dropped.

"What's wrong?" Shen asked, wiping her mouth with the corner of her shirt.

"Hey, don't look," Gur-Rai hissed "but there's someone watching us."

Shen immediately began scanning the crowd. "Where?"

"Didn't I just say not to look?" Gur-Rai motioned with his head across the way, where a masculine figure was leaning against the wall of a shop, staring at them.

"Maybe he's a prostitute." Shen shrugged.

"No, he doesn't have the look."

"There's a look?"

"There's a look, Lily, trust me." He looked away. "But I think he does want something."

Shen looked over. The person was still standing there. "What?"

"Dunno yet."

"We could ask."

"Ah, patience my dear Lily." Gur-Rai tapped his eyebrow. "A true detective must deduce from context-HEY!"

Shen stood up and walked over to the figure, and Gur-Rai saw her strike up a conversation just as he heard footsteps, and saw his siblings returning to where they were waiting.

"Why do you look sour?" Kon-Mai asked, an old cloth shopping bag draped over her arm. The rest of the bags and boxes were being held by Dhar-Mon.

He pointed across the way where Shen was still talking to the figure, although now she was doing less talking and more nodding.

"Who is that person?" Dhar-Mon asked.

"I dunno." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "They were just...staring at us. Lily decided to be stupid and go talk-HEYY!" He cried as Kon-Mai followed Shen's example and went to join the conversation.

Dhar-Mon looked down at his little brother, who was now pouting.

"You gonna go too?" Gur-Rai grumbled.

Dhar-Mon simply took a seat beside his brother.

Gur-Rai smiled and leaned his head on his arm. "At least we have each other, Big Guy."

Shen whistled and waved them over. "GUYS! C'MERE!"

Dhar-Mon looked at Gur-Rai again. "I believe this may be of interest to us."

Gur-Rai sighed. "WHAT IS IT, LILY?"

"I GOT US A DEAL! COME HERE!"

Gur-Rai's eyebrows shot up. "A DEAL? WHAT KIND OF DEAL?"

"BROTHER, GET YOUR SCRAWNY LITTLE FORM OVER HERE!" Kon-Mai shouted across as the figure opened the door to the building they were standing against.

Gur-Rai finally stood, followed by Dhar-Mon, and the two followed the other members of their party inside, where the aforementioned mysterious figure was holding the door, seemingly waiting for them.

"Greetings." They said with a smile. "Welcome to my humble abode."

"Guys, this is Japheth." Shen said, as she began to browse the incredibly dark shop. "He said he's heard of you guys before, and he's definitely heard of me, so he gave us a wicked discount!"

"It is my pleasure." Japheth bowed. "I must say, _Madron_, I have been expecting you for some time."

"You have?" Dhar-Mon looked at him warily.

"Oh yes." Japheth smiled knowingly. "I saw it."

"If I understand correctly," Kon-Mai said as she sat down in a rickety wood chair "Japheth is a diviner."

Gur-Rai sighed. "A fortune teller, Sis? Really?"

She scoffed. "In a world where the power of one's mind can reveal the deepest of secrets and even connect those a thousand miles away, fortune tellers are where you draw the line? Truly?"

"Yeah, because most of them are hacks." He looked over to Japheth, "No offense."

"None taken. I understand, it is good to be wary of those trying to extort you." Japheth went back to his table, upon which there was nothing but a bowl of water with some herbs. Behind him, leaning against purple felted walls, some magic trinkets and tarot cards were scattered around haphazardly. "That's why I'm willing to perform for free."

"Free?" Gur-Rai's eyes shot wide open. "I like free."

"I thought you would. And I'm not going to try and scam three large, blue monsters who could lay waste to me with a thought." He nodded to Kon-Mai. "No offense, Miss."

She rolled her eyes.

Dhar-Mon gently put the purchased items on the floor of the shop and stood beside his sister, looking over the table. "...I know this plant well. That is Silene Capensis." He pointed to the bowl of water, or more specifically, one of the herbs floating in the bowl of water.

"Right you are. It helps me with my rituals." Japheth nodded. "But I try not to rely on my herbs to determine for me. They simply help me see more clearly." He pointed to the bowl. "I have Heimia Salicifolia and Artemisa Vulgaris in there as well."

"I understood, like three of those words." Gur-Rai said as he, too, leaned over Kon-Mai's shoulder.

"I assume, Miss, you'd like to go first?" Japheth asked Kon-Mai.

In response, she shot her brothers a look that told them to back off immediately. Once they did, she put her hands on the table, palms up.

He smiled. "You've done this before then?"

"No." She simply replied.

"Hm." He took a bit of the water from the bowl and ran it over her palms, between the lines in her hands and her fingers, and then took her hands and closed his eyes.

Dhar-Mon shivered as a wave of something familiar came over him. He knew this feeling, similar to what he felt with Malinalli during his practice with her. But where hers was passionate and excited, this...was older. Deeper.

Japheth opened his mouth, hesitating for a moment. "You have no idea the wreckage left behind you."

Kon-Mai's face fell, and she looked like she wanted to pull away, but she didn't.

"Your past is rife with destruction and sorrow, a tale of woe to rival the gods. Every happiness you sought was stripped from you, until _they _left you with nothing, empty, the perfect warrior. A puppet."

Kon-Mai grit her teeth.

"Your present is warm, but something waits underneath. You have found emotions that you, Kon-Mai, have never felt before, and yet these feelings are familiar to you. You do not know why."

Gur-Rai stifled a cough, and Kon-Mai glanced at him briefly. He saw distress in her eyes.

"But your future…" Japheth hesitated, and Kon-Mai felt her skin prickling. "Your future is full of love."

"...Love?" Kon-Mai furrowed her brows.

"Love." Japheth repeated. "This love will grow within you, expanding like a galaxy and burning like the sun. It will be yours to nurture, yours to care for, yours to admire no matter the form it takes. You will know fear in its presence, fear unlike any in the cosmos. But you mustn't balk from it." He opened his eyes. "You will know what to do when the time comes."

Kon-Mai pulled her hands away, seeming like she was in a trance. Dhar-Mon helped her to her feet just as Gur-Rai took her place in the chair.

"Okay, my turn." Gur-Rai put his hands on the table, palms up. "Lets see what kind of trouble I'm going to get into."

Japheth chuckled as he smeared the herb water over Gur-Rai's hands. He took his hands, and his eyes grew wide for a moment, before he closed them.

"You have survived so much." Japheth sounded impressed. "What brought most to their knees, you took in stride, no matter the pain, no matter your wounds, or how deep they were."

Gur-Rai smiled slightly.

"But even the strongest diamond can be worn down, and you are simply waiting for the day you do shatter."

Gur-Rai's smile fell.

"You want to trust in what is real, but you are convinced it shall be torn away, like it was before. Like everything, and everyone. And you are convinced it shall be you that deals the final blow."

"Yeah, great, please tell me my future involves me getting rich and moving to a tropical island." Gur-Rai said jovially, but his voice was shaking.

Japheth chuckled. "Your future is made up of many voices, and many lives. You have known many, and you will know many more. You will know those who will betray you, those who will destroy you, and those who will shatter you before you finally find the ones who will put you back together and hold you."

Gur-Rai yanked his hands away, and Japheth' eyes snapped open.

"I'm sorry." Japheth said. "That one was very intense."

"Yeah, it's fine." Gur-Rai jumped up and moved near to the back wall, where he seemed to retreat into himself. Kon-Mai went over to him, and stood beside him, offering her arm to him. He didn't look at her.

"I suppose it is my turn." Dhar-Mon sat down, the chair creaking under him, and put his hands on the table.

Japheth smiled. "A fellow psionics user. This will be interesting. I will try not to frighten you~"

Dhar-Mon scoffed. "I do not frighten easily!"

"Hm." Japheth took Dhar-Mon's hands. "That is a lie."

Dhar-Mon growled, but he held his hands still, feeling the energy from Japheth' grasp sweep over him.

"Oh dear…" Japheth seemed to cringe. "There is so much you don't remember. And yet you do, just under the surface...that will be painful to dig up again. Your past was so happy until…" Japheth sighed. "Well, the imprint is always there. Nothing is ever really forgotten."

Dhar-Mon's lip twitched.

"Your present; it is full of uncertainty. You have been one way for so long, now something else is expected of you, and you do not know how to fulfill it."

Dhar-Mon lowered his head. "Just tell me...will I fail?"

"Depends on what you mean by fail." Japheth smiled. "But your future burns with an intensity I rarely see. You care very deeply for someone, don't you?"

Dhar-Mon looked up, almost frightened...and slowly nodded.

"She is all around you. I see her in your past, present and future. She is more powerful than she knows. But you know." Japheth chuckled. "Don't you?"

Dhar-Mon's lip quivered.

"This fire you feel in your chest will be your guiding light in the darkness. But it will consume you, and it will consume all and everything in its path, ADVENT and XCOM alike." Japheth leaned forward. "The light of your love will be the spark that sets off the fire of Rome."

Dhar-Mon sat in silence as Japheth let go of his hands.

"...Are you alright?"

Dhar-Mon nodded, stood up, and bowed. "...Thank you."

"Of course." Japheth beckoned Shen over, but she shook her head.

"No thanks. I like being surprised." She winked. "But let me know if you ever start offering lessons! I'd love to learn how to do that!"

.

.

"This is very interesting." Nuwa set the diagrams to the side. "A war hammer and a sword? That might actually get you something valuable."

"The actual weapons aren't for sale." Senuna smiled knowingly. "But with those schematics…"

"Perhaps." Nuwa looked over them again. "Someone will be able to replicate it. You know humans."

"Yes." Senuna sighed wistfully. "I do. So, how about that Hellweave Armor?"

Nuwa sighed. "...Fine. I shall send you the blueprints. Happy, Sīlìng?"

"Very." Senuna began to stand. "If that is all-"

"There is one more thing." Nuwa beckoned her to sit back down, and Senuna raised a brow as she sat.

"Oh? Do I have to pay extra?"

Nuwa shook her head, and her face was suddenly very serious, even moreso than before. "My little birds have told me of something that ADVENT is holding."

Senuna grimaced, but she did look interested. "Is it another weapon?"

"No, Sīlìng, it's not a weapon. It's a person." Nuwa leaned forward, her eyes soft with tears. "My source has the location of Shaojie Zhang."

Senuna audibly gasped, covering her mouth. "Chilong? He's alive?!"

"He is alive, though for how much longer I do not know." Nuwa grasped Senuna's arm tightly. "I suggest your team go to rescue him as soon as you can, Sīlìng. You and I both know what ADVENT will do to him if you don't."

* * *

(Is it 4:30 in the morning? Yes. But I was gonna get this out today one way or another! I just could not wait for this reveal.

I've had so many ideas for the Black Market, putting them all together was fun. The location was actually taken from my S.O's XCOM 2 game, where the Black Market is near Russia. It was also partially his idea to have Shen's mom be the Black Market leader, because we never see her mom and I feel that opportunity should have been explored much more!)


	17. Saving Colonel Zhang

_**(Content Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of gore.)**_

Tygan pressed a few random keys on his tablet as he looked over Yseult, the war hammer. The weapon glowed purple, pulsating ever so slightly in the darkness of the workshop. The three Chosen stood around it, leaning in closer as they watched Tygan work. He had called them here, after all.

"So." He said, for the third time, and once again followed it with silence. The Darkstrider was poking around at some of the other machines while his siblings waited for Tygan to finish his thought, like the diligent little servants they were.

Finally, Tygan looked up. "Kon-Mai, this hammer seems to be made of a similar material to your sword."

"Is it?" She raised a brow.

"Yes, and I was hoping you could give us some insight on the material process, to be frank. We still don't even have a clue to understanding how your weapon works."

Kon-Mai tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her tiny ear. "I do not know much, only that it is an ancient art, and involves the torture of living individuals, for the use of their bones to-"

"Thank you, Sister." Dhar-Mon said, turning seemingly aqua-green. "That will be all."

Gur-Rai chuckled at his reaction. "I suppose science isn't always worth it, is it, Brother?"

"Well, perhaps if Vahlen were here..." Tygan muttered as he looked to Dhar-Mon, who was still focused on the hammer. "You said you wielded it in combat?"

"I did." He hung his head in shame. "I deeply apologize if I have damaged your research, Doctor."

"On the contrary." Tygan pushed it toward him. "I'd like you to keep using it."

Dhar-Mon looked puzzled.

"I would like more information on how the Elders' weapons interact with their owners." Tygan elaborated. "And you seem to be...attached. I hypothesize these weapons may 'choose' their owners, allowing them to utilize them to their full potential. Like Kon-Mai, and her sword that never misses."

"That is a theory." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "Does it work with guns, too?"

"That, I don't know." Tygan broke off as the intercom screeched.

_"Dhar-Mon Madron, Gur-Rai Madron, and Kon-Mai Mordenna, please report to the Commander's Office. Dhar-Mon Madron, Gur-Rai Madron, and Kon-Mai Mordenna, please report to the Commander's Office."_

"It seems we are summoned." Dhar-Mon sighed, lifting Yseult and hoisting it onto his back, where the magnetic straps clicked and held it in place. It felt light as a feather on his shoulders.

Kon-Mai bowed to Tygan and turned, leading her brothers toward their Commander. They followed her in a line, Gur-Rai in the middle and Dhar-Mon bringing up the rear, like a mother duck and her ducklings.

Kon-Mai chuckled at the thought.

.

.

"Well, the gang's all here." Bradford tossed his clipboard onto Senuna's bed as the Chosen entered the room.

"Shrinemaiden, Darkstrider…" He nodded to Dhar-Mon. "...Hieromonk."

"Central." Kon-Mai bowed to him.

Senuna stood up. She looked a bit worse for wear, like she hadn't slept at all the previous night. "Remember when I said I would be sending you all out together soon?"

Gur-Rai grinned. "We're gettin' the band back together?" He plopped down on one of her couches, far off to the side, and put his feet up. "Hit me, Commander. What have you got?"

"Have you three ever heard of Shaojie Zhang?" Bradford asked as the Commander sat down across from the Chosen, rubbing some of the smudged eyeliner off her eye.

Both Dhar-Mon and Kon-Mai hesitated for a moment, but Gur-Rai jumped in immediately. "Ol' Chilong? A naughty little Triad spy who defected to XCOM." He nodded. "I've heard. What of him?"

"He's alive." Senuna seemed to almost sigh, but her voice trembled.

"We THINK he's alive." Jane clarified. "Our recent conversation with Nuwa Shen revealed that there is, in fact, a hidden ADVENT prison complex in the Khasi Hills of India. And she apparently has it on good authority that Shaojie Zhang is being held inside."

Gur-Rai blinked for a moment, his eyes becoming unfocused. "...Never heard of that place...huh. Must be new…"

"Perhaps it is." Kon-Mai assured him. "The Crimson Dragon is known to be very dangerous. ADVENT would want him under wraps."

"Yeah." Bradford said. "So that's why we called you three...this operation is going to be dangerous."

"Very dangerous." There was a glimmer in Senuna's eye. "Which is why you three are going down together~"

Gur-Rai let out a cheer and even Dhar-Mon seemed to look a bit happier. Kon-Mai chuckled at her older brother's reaction.

"Look out ADVENT." Gur-Rai said as he stood. "The boys—and girl—are back in town!"

.

.

"Well, Dhar-Mon, you'll get to test out your new weapon sooner than you thought." Gur-Rai noted as he strapped on his armor plates.

Dhar-Mon nodded silently, only barely acknowledging his brother, who then tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "What's going on with you, Brother? You're acting like Kon-Mai."

"I heard that." His sister hissed.

"I am fine, Brother." Dhar-Mon assured him. "I simply...don't have much to say anymore."

"Alright, that's DEFINITELY unlike you."

"It is unlike how I was." Dhar-Mon mused, pulling on the sleeves of his robes. "Before, I could not take a breath, lest I be praising the Elders." He almost spat their name. "Now released from their hold, I find I have little to say."

"Well, what's on your mind?" Gur-Rai asked. "We could talk about that."

"Indeed." Kon-Mai said as she began plaiting her hair into several small braids. It had gotten longer in the weeks she'd been there, and now reached her upper back. "It is imperative we grow to trust each other as family, in battle and in conversation."

"I'll start!" Gur-Rai cried. "I found this amazing new book called 'Blue Jesus.' Picked it up because, well, we're blue, so the title caught my eye."

"Blue Jesus…" Dhar-Mon had heard that name, Jesus. It was spoken in whispers, by worshipers of the dead god. It was a name considered sacrilege by the Elders. Those who spoke it often died with the name on their lips.

"What is it about?" Kon-Mai asked. "I have been looking for new reading material. All of my favorite books were left behind at my stronghold."

"So this kid, named Buddy, is friends with a kid whose skin is entirely blue. His name is Early."

"Those are unusual names." Dhar-Mon interjected.

"I do not think we have the right to criticize." Kon-Mai chuckled. "Continue, Gur-Rai."

"So, one day Buddy and Early are down at the river, doing the kind of stuff little boys do. And they find a dead baby."

Kon-Mai made a face, a mix of terror, disgust, and almost crushing sadness. Dhar-Mon saw it before she could right herself, and she looked like Gur-Rai had just told her her own child was found dead.

"Hold your horses, Sister." Gur-Rai raised his hand. "Because while Buddy runs to get help, Early touches the baby and brings it back to life."

Now both Dhar-Mon and Kon-Mai looked at their brother in wonder.

"Back to life…?" Kon-Mai muttered.

Gur-Rai nodded. "Mind you, before this everybody hated Early and his family, because they were blue and that's very strange for humans. But after Early brings the baby back, people change their tune very quickly. Some of them are nice to him all of a sudden. Some people treat him even worse." His eyes narrowed. "Some people think he's-"

"Jesus." Dhar-Mon muttered.

"Yep. Anyway, I'm about halfway through and it's a fantastic read." He finished his sentence just as two other humans walked in and stopped, staring at them.

The three siblings turned and looked at the soldiers, one dressed in the blue and white uniform of a medical officer, and the other dressed in light armor and holding a hacking kit. They halted when they saw the three Chosen, and the medic seemed to groan.

"Well, the gang's all here~" Gur-Rai smiled and crossed his arms. "I assume you two are coming along for the ride."

The medic, a young girl with brown hair in two, Mickey-Mouse like buns, looked at the man to her right. He coughed, straightening up as if he could compare to the height of the Chosen.

"Shamil Naumov." He said, pressing his hand to his chest to indicate that the name was indeed his own. "The Commander said you'd probably need a hacker, so...that's me."

Gur-Rai scoffed. "I doubt that. I can do your job in half the time it takes you."

"Yes, Brother, but won't you also be busy with your gun? Shooting down our enemies?" Kon-Mai gave him a look. "An extra set of hands may be useful."

"Well, if the Commander insists." He shrugged and looked towards the girl. "And what's your name, beautiful?"

"...Vicky." She said curtly.

Kon-Mai recognized that name. "Are you a friend to Malinalli?"

"Friend?" Vicky grimaced, then bobbed her head from side to side. "...I guess."

"Do you guys know the objective?" Shamil began looking through his data pad.

"We are to rescue Shaojie Zhang." Dhar-Mon said with conviction.

"Right. This is supposed to be stealthy but…" He eyed Dhar-Mon. "If things go south, don't be afraid to make some noise."

"Oh, we shall." Kon-Mai smiled, bearing her sharp teeth. Vicky seemed to shudder.

"Okay." Shamil perked up. "All aboard the Skyranger then."

.

.

The Skyranger seemed to shudder as it drew closer to the sea of black trees. The sky had grown dark and cloudy, and there settled over the ship an air of foreboding.

The Shinemaiden huddled herself in the corner of the Skyranger, leaving space for the rest of her compatriots. Even so, three Chosen all crammed into a canteen was beginning to cause some claustrophobia. Dhar-Mon was running into the same problem as last time, and desperately wished he still had the ability to teleport.

"Are we there yet?" Gur-Rai called up to Firebrand.

"Ask me one more time and I'mma turn this cab right around!" Firebrand called back to him. Kon-Mai chuckled at her brother getting scolded, and Gur-Rai stuck out his tongue at her.

The plane dropped low over a dense area of wood and opened her doors. Gur-Rai got to his feet and looked out. "Tricky landing!"

"Be careful goin' down!" Firebrand called.

Kon-Mai looked to Dhar-Mon, preparing to offer him a hand, but he smiled and shook his head to indicate he would be fine. She nodded to him and took a rope from Gur-Rai, skydiving backwards off the ship and swinging, Tarzan-style, into a nearby tree.

"Showoff." Gur-Rai muttered as he slid down after her, Dhar-Mon following behind him. Their two human compatriots dropped to the ground behind them.

"What do you see, Sister?" Gur-Rai asked.

_"To the north."_ Kon-Mai said, her already raspy voice further distorted by their communicators. _"The building is small. One story only. Pure white, yet the windows are black."_

"Any enemies?"

_"The usual cannon fodder."_ She chuckled. _"...And that is all...strange..."_

Dhar-Mon and Gur-Rai looked at each other. "This seems to be a trap." Dhar-Mon said.

"Oh it probably is." Gur-Rai smiled. "I'm counting on it. Kon-Mai?"

_"Yes?"_ She drawled her voice a bit with the question.

"Take the east side." Gur-Rai said. "And I'll take the west. Dhar-Mon," He turned to his brother "remember what you did at the UFO? Do that again."

Dhar-Mon nodded. "These traitors shall feel the wrath of my power."

Gur-Rai smiled. "Now THERE'S my big brother." He patted him on the shoulder and leapt into a tree. "You two." He called to the humans. "Stay behind Dhar-Mon."

"We can fight too!" Vicky hissed.

"I do not doubt that." Dhar-Mon annunciated as turned to her, staring down at her short stature. "But your kind are very…" He fumbled for the word.

"Squishy." Gur-Rai cut in.

"Yes." Dhar-Mon nodded. "In any case, I shall protect you."

"I mean…" Shamil shrugged and chuckled. "I won't argue with the guy holding the big whacky stick."

Dhar-Mon scowled and turned toward the facility, keeping low as he led them forward. He could hear his brother and sister in the trees, moving from branch to branch. Only trained ears could detect such slight sounds. Those two were as quiet as the grave.

He stopped as he reached the treeline, holding his breath. "We are in position." He whispered.

_"Perfect~" _He heard Gur-Rai chuckle. _"Sister?"_

_"I am ready."_ He heard the quiet _shing _of her blade.

There was a moment of silence. They all held their breath...

_"Now!"_

On his brother's signal, Dhar-Mon stood, raising his hands, and a bolt of psionic energy crackled toward the soldiers, striking them each in a succinct line. One by one they fell. Those who did not fall turned on them with guns drawn, right as Dhar-Mon saw a flash of blue dart out from the trees. Then, the screaming began.

His sister's blade flashed in the pale moonlight as she cut through the trooper closest to her, their body separating at the waist and flying in different directions. The other soldiers turned on her, guns drawn and ready to fire, and she smiled.

"Hello, boys." She growled. "Is that any way to greet me?"

A flash of red, this time from the treeline, sent another trooper flying. Gur-Rai cackled as he watched their body ragdoll.

There were about seven soldiers left, and while they seemed to be realizing the hopeless position they were in, they were not backing down. As Kon-Mai shifted to move for cover, one of them fired on her. The bullet bounced off her armor, smacking her in the ribcage. She muttered a grunt as it struck her. It stung badly against her skin, but there was no tear in the fabric, and no wound in her flesh.

"Insolent fool!" Dhar-Mon bellowed, raising his arms as his palms began to glow. "How dare you strike her?!"

"I think they know we're off payroll!" Gur-Rai said, just as a rain of bullets shredded the branch he was standing on. He leapt to another tree as that one disintegrated.

The bullet rain began, and both Shamil and Vicky dove behind trees for cover. Dhar-Mon also got low, sheltering behind the shrubbery. He felt a few hit his shoulder pauldron, but none broke the surface. Yet.

The firing began to die down as the troopers ran out of ammo, and Kon-Mai took her shot. She dashed out from behind the crate and plunged her sword through the back of her unsuspecting victim, then hoisted him up and catapulted his body into one of his comrades, knocking the other to the ground.

She smiled, but only briefly, because she was now out in the open, all guns trained on her. One particularly fast one turned on her and fired. It would have hit her in the face had she not raised her arm to deflect it. Her sword arm. The mesh deflected the bullet, but her arm went numb with the shock and she cried out, dropping her sword.

"NO!" Dhar-Mon sprang up and, ripping Yseult from his back, charged at his sister's assailant. The hit was slow, and the trooper began to move to dodge, but as he did the hammer itself seemed to move on it's own, correcting it's course automatically so it plowed into the trooper's head, cracking it like an egg.

With that trooper falling over in a bloody heap, Dhar-Mon focused his energy towards the next man, and with a glow of purple he could see their mind bending under his will. These troops had little fight in them, and the soldier easily picked up their gun and turned on their own men.

The Shrinemaiden lifted her sword again, testing her arm, and made a leap for the roof, where she was again hidden from sight. She heard the clink of a grappling hook as Gur-Rai zipped over to her, landing beside her.

"Close call." He muttered, training his sniper on one. "Hey. You didn't happen to bring that old shotgun I made you, did you?"

She sighed. "Yes, I did."

"Now would be an excellent time to use it~"

"You know my aim with a firearm is poor." She muttered, pulling Arashi from her back and copying her brother's stance. "Do not blame me if I miss and reveal our position."

"Sister." Gur-Rai made a tut tut noise. "What did I tell you all those years ago?"

She scowled.

"Sister~"

"_'Sister, you will be the eye of the storm'._" She rolled her eyes. "Fine. I shall fire on your mark."

"Good." He raised a hand. "Three. Two. One!"

She took a breath, held it, and pulled the trigger, the recoil punching her in the shoulder. The bullet cut through a stack of crates, which upon being hit, detonated in a burst of flames. The splinters of wood exploded out in a swath of fiery debris, torching the three troopers who had been using the boxes as cover.

Kon-Mai glared at Gur-Rai, who was wearing the biggest shit eating grin she'd ever seen.

"You knew I would miss." She said accusingly.

"Sister, I am simply playing to your strengths." He gestured. "And look, they're dead either way."

She smiled, just a tad. He was right, after all. They were dead, either way.

_"I have a clear shot for the door!"_ Shamil cried into the comm.

"I'll cover you!" Gur-Rai looked through his scope again. "You look fine from up here."

"Okay." Vicky and Shamil made a dash for the front door. From the other side of the roof, there was a clang as yet another trooper was introduced to the business end of the Hieromonk's weapon.

_"Working on the door-"_ They heard it slide open almost immediately after Shamil plugged in. _"...That was easy…"_

"Too easy." Gur-Rai looked at Kon-Mai.

"No doubt they are leading us to the trap, like pigs to slaughter." Kon-Mai bit her lip. "Dhar-Mon."

_"I am here, Sister!"_ He shouted into his comm, causing slight distortion.

"We are moving inside. Take a position in the rear, I have a sinking feeling more shall join us."

"As you wish." He said.

Shrinemaiden and Darkstrider jumped from the building, landing on their feet gracefully in front of the open doorway. Kon-Mai peeked inside and scanned the hallway.

"The coast is empty." She stood to the side and let Shamil and Vicky in first, Gur-Rai following behind. She waited for Dhar-Mon, who had called forth his psionic energy to his hands once again, and he nodded for her to go. With him close behind, they dashed inside.

The building was dilapidated, old and partially rotted. It looked more like a scene of a horror movie than a scientific building. Gur-Rai let loose a whistle. "ADVENT is really letting their best go unchecked."

"This is disgraceful." Dhar-Mon muttered. "What would have caused them to leave this place in such a state?"

"Diverting materials." Vicky finally spoke up. "Maybe to the Avatar Project."

No one said a word to that. It was a very plausible explanation.

"Where are we going?" Kon-Mai asked Shamil.

"My computer hates this place but…" He smacked it. "Okay. We make a right turn here, then another...then another…"

"Into the center?" She raised a brow. "Like circling the drain."

"Hey if worse comes to worst, I'll shoot out the ceiling." Gur-Rai winked.

"Wonderful. That will work perfectly in our favor." She rolled her eyes.

The quiet of the facility was nearly stifling as they descended deeper and deeper into the bowels. Each turn let them to another door, each door was harder and harder to crack. Each time the Chosen would stand guard for their human compatriots, and each time they were met with empty halls and deserted rooms. The silence was beginning to grow worrisome.

Dhar-Mon growled. "Where are the guards? Do they intend to do nothing to stop us?!"

"Oh, they're coming." Gur-Rai muttered. "It's the when that's bothering me."

"Keep your eyes sharp, Brother." Kon-Mai said, one hand on the hilt of her sword. "With each step we draw closer to our goal."

Finally, they rounded one last corner, shrouded in darkness by broken lights, and came to a final door, sealed with magnetic energy and reinforced with layers of metal.

Shamil stared at it for a moment. "...There's no keypad."

They looked around. He was correct, there was no keypad in sight.

"How do we open this then?" Vicky scoffed. "Do we all stand in front of it and yell open sesame?"

"Well, it's worth a shot." Gur-Rai holstered his rifle and went up to the door, putting his hand against the metal. "That tickles…"

"What do you sense, Brother?" Kon-Mai asked.

"Psionic energy." He looked back at Dhar-Mon. "I think this is your department, my brother."

Dhar-Mon followed Gur-Rai's movement, pressing five fingertips against the metal of the door and focusing. His brow creased and he winced, then jerked away. "It is fighting back."

Gur-Rai raised a brow. "Wow, didn't know it did that."

"Allow me to help." Kon-Mai stepped up, in between her brothers, and laid her free hand on the door as well. Closing her eyes, she let what psionic energy she possessed flow into her fingers, joining with her brothers. The three of them kept pressure on it, and while the door seemed to be fighting back, they could feel it being worn down, the magnetic field slowly dissipating…

There was a click. Slowly, with churning gears, the door dragged itself open, and the contents of the room were revealed.

"Holy fuck." Gur-Rai gasped. Vicky rushed in immediately, followed by Dhar-Mon and his sister. Shamil and Gur-Rai stayed back, their mouths hanging open in horror.

"It's him…" Shamil whispered. "What have they done to him…?"

The limp form of Shaojie Zhang hung by his wrists and ankles, strapped against the wall with metal cuffs and braces. His skin was deeply jaundiced and bruised and his joints were severely bloated, possibly from fluid or even rot. But the worst was his abdomen, ripped open to expose his organs, still desperately pumping to keep him alive. Tubes were burned into the open crevice in his body, writhing on their own as though they were feeding off him.

"Oh God, oh Jesus, they didn't teach us this in bootcamp…" Vicky hissed as she looked in her medical kit. "What the fuck do we do?!"

The Hieromonk stepped forward and pressed his hand against Zhang's neck, checking his pulse, and Zhang's eyes suddenly flew open. Kon-Mai reached for her sword, but stopped. Zhang looked at her with terror in his eyes.

"It is alright." She lowered her hands. "We are not here to hurt you."

He tried to speak but it came out in panicked gasps, as though his voice no longer worked. He seemed to be writhing against his restraints with what strength he still possessed.

"We are with XCOM." She showed the badge on her shoulder. "Do you see?"

He stopped struggling, but still looked between her and Dhar-Mon with undisguised panic.

"I do not think he trusts us." Dhar-Mon said to his sister.

"He has little choice. We don't have time to prove ourselves." She growled. "Vicky."

"I'm working, bitch!" Vicky snapped. "I don't know how the hell I'm supposed to untie him!"

"Let me try." Gur-Rai jogged up. "I've been inside a few men in my day~"

Dhar-Mon made a fake gagging motion and rolled his eyes. Kon-Mai let slip a smile, and Gur-Rai cracked his knuckles and got to work.

"Let's see here. Well that's your appendix there, you don't need that." He slipped two finger's into Zhang's abdominal cavity. "This is gonna hurt." He pinched off the appendix, and the tube attached to it, and yanked. It came out with a wet splat, and Zhang began to spasm.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Vicky screamed, and Dhar-Mon rushed in and put his hand back on Zhang's neck.

"His heart races with the agony, Brother." Dhar-Mon looked at him.

"Good, that means he's alive." Gur-Rai licked his lips. "One down, four to go. This next one's on your liver…" He reached back. "Sis, you got your dagger?"

"I do not like what you are planning." She said as she pulled her dagger from her belt and handed it to him.

There was intense silence, broken only by the ominous chattering and clicking sounds of the old walls as Gur-Rai slipped the blade of the dagger in between the fleshy organ and the teeth of the tube that held it in place. Zhang's entire body tensed up for a moment, until Gur-Rai managed to wriggle it in just the right way that the teeth came loose, and the tube fell out and onto the floor.

"Hell yeah." He let out a breath. "Almost done, Bud."

The creaking in the walls grew louder for a moment, almost sounding like scraping. Kon-Mai looked around, drawing her blade again. "Something is amiss."

"Put that thing away. It's scaring him." Vicky scolded.

Kon-Mai bore her teeth. "Very well. I shall allow us to remain unsheltered, like sitting ducks."

Vicky made a mocking gesture with her hand and turned to look at Shamil. "Shammy! You have your pistol?"

"Yeah…" He sounded distracted.

"See? Shammy has the door. We'll be fine."

Zhang wailed in pain. Two of the tubes dropped to the floor, along with a piece of flesh.

"That one didn't wanna let go. One more…" Gur-Rai grimaced. "And...fuck."

"What…?" Kon-Mai peered over her shoulder.

"It's on his heart." Gur-Rai sighed. "Fuck. Okay. This is fine." He twirled the dagger in his hand. "They don't call me the Helsinki Heartbreaker for nothin'!"

"I have many questions." Kon-Mai sighed, peering in closer to watch her brother begin his work.

"It's just like replacing the RAM in a computer." He hissed. "Gotta make sure not to bend the casing."

There was a sudden, loud shriek from the door, followed by gunshots in rapid succession. The Chosen all jumped in surprise, Kon-Mai grabbing her katana. "Who goes there?!"

"Shammy!" Vicky called. The lights flickered for a moment, and they saw Shamil's figure stumble towards the door.

"Shammy! Are you ok?!" Vicky rushed towards him but Kon-Mai grabbed her.

"Wait-"

"What are you doing?! Let me go! Sham-" She broke off.

Shamil's mouth moved, but no words came forth. He stumbled inside, fell to his knees and hit the floor, green ooze spilling from the wound on his neck. As his body spasmed once and fell limp, a shriek came from the hallway so loud it could shatter bone.

"CHRYSSALIDS!" Kon-Mai pulled Vicky behind her and rushed to the door. "Gur-Rai, hurry!"

"You can't exactly rush open heart surgery!" He snapped. "Dhar-Mon, go help her!"

"You need assistance here!"

"If Vicky would DO HER FUCKING JOB maybe that wouldn't be the case!" He growled back at the human medic, who had abandoned the mission and ran to Shamil.

"Move, Child!" Dhar-Mon ran to Vicky and grabbed her arm.

"Let me go! He's alive, I know it!"

"His corpse shall be a feeding ground, soon enough!" Dhar-Mon tossed her towards Gur-Rai. "Come, and save the man who still has a fighting chance!"

"Fuck you, you big dumb bohunk!" Vicky spat. "You don't get it because you're not human! You don't know how to love like we do! I bet you'd sacrifice your own siblings if you had to!"

Dhar-Mon's eyes grew dark, as did the room around him. "Do not speak such dark language to ME, little wretch! It was not I who let him die!"

"VICKY, COME DO YOUR FUCKING JOB, OR I WILL JAM MY GUN UP YOUR ASS AND PULL THE TRIGGER!" Gur-Rai shouted.

"FUCK OFF, YOU ROTTEN FISH STICK!" She ran for the door, grabbing Shammy by the arms and beginning to drag him, slowly, towards the door. "I'm getting out of here!"

Dhar-Mon looked at Gur-Rai.

"Toss me her medkit." He muttered.

"You will need help." Dhar-Mon protested as he handed it off.

"I'm not the one facing down a Chryssalid. Go help Kon-Mai."

Dhar-Mon nodded and ran to the door. The Chryssalid was still in the outer hallway, and Kon-Mai seemed to be holding it back with her blade, but with each attack it drew a bit closer to her, each strike was a little more sure. And to make matters worse, the walls were clicking again.

"They have brethren coming to join the fray." Kon-Mai grimaced. "Kill one, and another takes its place!"

"Then we must retreat!" Dhar-Mon lifted his arms, purple energy glowing at his fingertips.

"They block the way!"

"Stand before me, Sister." He looked at her. "And be ready. I have an idea."

She blinked, then grinned, her teeth glistening in the light. "I understand, Brother."

Dhar-Mon moved behind her, and Kon-Mai kept her blade out, waiting for the Chryssalids to come scuttling out of the walls. One by one, more joined the fray, littering the hallway, clawing at each other to get through…

Dhar-Mon reached out with his mind, and Kon-Mai felt his power seep into her body, entwining with her neurons and synapses, flowing into her blood. She turned her sword upside down and jammed it into the ground, cutting through the concrete. Pulling back, a purple wave rose before her.

Kon-Mai's blade sliced through the concrete floors, the wave of psionic energy building and building. Then, with a demonic smile, she ripped the sword out of the ground and sliced across her path, propelling the mount of energy into the Chryssalids, who were all lined up nicely in her path. Their bodies flew, crunching on the ground as they bent under her Harbor Wave.

She looked back at Dhar-Mon, who let his arms drop and wiped his forehead.

"Are you well?" Her smile disappeared into a look of worry.

"That was nothing." He smiled. "The pathway is clear, all we require is-" He broke off as Vicky began to scream.

"FUCK!" Gur-Rai yelled as he looked back at her. "The corpse!"

Kon-Mai gasped. "Vicky! Get away!" She rushed in and grabbed Vicky by the arm, pulling her back as Shamil's corpse exploded, a Chryssalid of monstrous proportions clawing its way out from inside him.

"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!" Gur-Rai twisted the dagger, and the claw around Zhang's heart finally popped off. The restraints around his limps loosened and fell away, and he collapsed in Darkstrider's arms.

"Dhar-Mon!" Gur-Rai called, struggling to keep Zhang from falling over. "I NEED YOU!"

"I am busy!" Dhar-Mon pulled his hammer from his back as Kon-Mai dashed toward the Chryssalid. It was huge, as tall as the ceiling and larger than the one's they'd encountered in the hall, and despite the great height of the Chosen, it easily dwarfed them. However, Kon-Mai was not deterred.

"I shall hold the monster!" Kon-Mai shouted. "Take Zhang and run!"

"We're not leaving you!" Gur-Rai spat, looking around. He laid Zhang on the ground and patted his head. "Hang tight, my dude. I'm gonna blaze a new trail." Determined, the Darkstrider drew his gun.

Dhar-Mon dashed in as Kon-Mai slipped on Shamil's blood, her leg twisting as she hit the ground. The Chryssalid went to stab her, but it's claw was knocked away by Dhar-Mon's hammer.

"BACK, YE FOUL CREATURE!" He commanded, his voice booming. "BACK FROM WHENCE YOU CAME!"

Kon-Mai crawled away, her leg screaming with pain as she got up, but she shook it off and dashed around behind, slicing through one of the Chryssalid's appendages as payback. It screeched, writhing in agony as the digit fell limp beside it.

"GOT IT!" There was a boom, the room shook, and Gur-Rai waved them over to where he had blown a hole in the corner. "Secret tunnel, right here!"

"Then go!" Dhar-Mon grabbed Vicky and shoved her toward Gur-Rai. "I shall carry Zhang!"

Kon-Mai blocked the creature's stabs toward her brother as he darted around it's legs, carefully picking up Zhang bridal style. The poor man was barely conscious, but he was alive.

"You shall be home soon enough." He assured him, following Gur-Rai into the tunnel. "Kon-Mai!"

As Dhar-Mon called her name, Kon-Mai dropped her defense and sprinted for the hole in the wall, the Chryssalid on her heels. She dove inside just as she felt it smash into the edges, just a bit too big for the opening in the wall. Looking forward into the darkness, the five survivors ran.

.

.

"Gur-Rai." Kon-Mai grunted. "I believe we're lost."

"We're not lost." He insisted. "I know exactly where we're going."

"Oh?" She muttered sarcastically. "Then where are we?"

"We're in a secret tunnel." He looked back at her, smirking.

"You dare jest when a man is dying?" Dhar-Mon sighed. "That is typical of you, Brother."

"Hey, if I can't laugh, all I can do is scream." He stopped. "...Left or right?" He looked down at Vicky, who was walking silently beside him. "What do you think, left or right?"

"I don't care." Vicky snapped. "One of my fucking friends is DEAD!"

"Okay, and you'll be joining him if we don't get out of here." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "Sis, what do you think?"

Kon-Mai stood still and listened for a moment. "...Right."

"Right?"

"Yes. I hear air moving through that tunnel."

"Well then, _right_ you are!" Gur-Rai snickered at his own joke and led the party down the right side.

Kon-Mai looked back at Dhar-Mon, still carrying Zhang. "How is he?"

"Alive." Dhar-Mon muttered. "I fear how long that will be true, though."

She fell back and looked over the man. Even in the dim light, she could see the horrifying extent of his injuries. It was a wonder how he was even alive in the first place. His eyes met hers, and she tried to offer him a smile.

"We will be home soon, my dear." She said as softly and motherly as she could. "If only we had a blanket, something to keep him warm…"

"I have one…" Vicky muttered. "In my medpack."

"We had to leave the medpack." Gur-Rai snapped.

"Maybe if you didn't take it-!"

"Maybe, and this is just me spitballing here." Gur-Rai turned on her "Maybe if you did YOUR JOB, and HELPED ME instead of messing around with a corpse, we WOULD have the medkit!"

"SHUT UP!" Vicky covered her ears. "You don't understand! None of you fucking understand!" She glared at him. "You can't understand, because you're fucking ALIENS, and you can't love anything!"

"Stop…"

The soft whisper came from the man in Dhar-Mon's arms. They all looked at Zhang, who couldn't even look at Vicky as he spoke.

"Stop…" He said again, his voice no more than a whisper.

Vicky and Gur-Rai looked at each other, and Kon-Mai glared back at them.

"Stop." Zhang said again. As he opened his mouth to speak, he gasped for air, coughing.

"Just rest." Kon-Mai whispered, rushing to him and lifting his head slightly in her hand. "Please, rest." She looked back at Gur-Rai. "He is fading, quickly."

"...Let's just keep moving." Gur-Rai mumbled.

The tunnel began to widen out, the walls once again taking on the white facility color, although they were significantly more dilapidated than above. As they walked, the white ground became filthy, and it soon became clear that it was not rocks they were stepping over, but bones. They passed ancient corpses of human figures, some wearing labcoats, some wearing trooper armor, some wearing nothing. Their conditions ranged from full skeletons with dried meat still clinging to their bones, to bleached and crumbling, and all of them crawling with bugs and snakes. Zhang's eyes followed them as they walked beside them.

"Who were such unfortunate souls?" Dhar-Mon mused.

"Doctors…" Zhang whispered. "For me."

Dhar-Mon stopped, adjusting Zhang in his arms so the man's head laid on his shoulder. "Were you so strong?" He chuckled.

He felt Zhang nod weakly.

Dhar-Mon stopped briefly, looking down at Zhang. "You were?"

Zhang met his eyes, and to Dhar-Mon's horror, those eyes began to take on a purple glow. He felt that familiar tingling of psionics, and suddenly he understood.

"HEADS UP!" Gur-Rai called. "We found our exit!"

Dhar-Mon power walked over to his siblings, as the tunnel began to fan out, the walls becoming rock, then dirt.

"Be wary." His sister reached for her blade. "I hear something on the wind…"

Gur-Rai fell back a bit, and Kon-Mai took point, crouching as she moved toward the shred of light coming from above them. "I see the moonlight…" She hissed. "But there is movement…"

"Careful…" He warned her gently, and drew his own weapon. "Don't want another Chryssalid atta-"

His comm suddenly exploded in static. _"Come...Menace 1-5! Com...where the hell...you?!"_

"Is that Bryni?" He said with a smile. "Good to hear from you, Dollface~"

_"Good...alive! Got...ang?"_

"You're cutting out." He said. "Wait until we're outside."

Kon-Mai led them out, the tunnel widening into the mouth of a cave, and they emerged into the forest. The Skyranger was flying in circles above them, and Gur-Rai waved his arms, beckoning her to let down the ropes.

"Firebrand, we need a stretcher!" He called. "Zhang's looking pretty bad!"

…

"I don't know how you did it." Tygan as Zhang was wheeled by two of the nurses into he operating theatre. "With wounds like that? He shouldn't be alive."

"We have excellent teamwork skills~" Gur-Rai wrapped his arms around his sibling's shoulders. "I imagine like this, we'll be able to take the Elders down no problemo~"

"Do not get cocky." Dhar-Mon scoffed. "We simply did what we had to, in order to save Zhang's life."

"Yes, well…" Tygan sighed. "The Commander is...not as happy as she could be. It's been a while since we lost a soldier…"

"Shamil died with great honor." Kon-Mai bowed her head. "Not once did he falter in his duty."

"Vicky on the other hand…" Gur-Rai grimaced.

"Vicky is being dealt with." Tygan bit his lip. "Don't be too hard on her. That's the Commander's job. In the meantime, I believe Bradford-"

"-wants to see you." A voice behind them said. "And you'd be right."

As the three turned, Tygan followed the nurses into the theatre in order to start scrubbing up for Zhang's surgery. Behind them, there stood Bradford, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"So I talked with the Commander." He said. "Getting Zhang back...that was a big deal. And you three went above and beyond."

"He is a good soldier." Kon-Mai nodded.

"He's also a good friend." Bradford added. "We knew him before this war took a downward spiral and…" He sighed. "It's good to have him back and relatively okay. The fact that you three brought him back to us…" He held out his hand. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you."

Gur-Rai reached out and shook Bradford's hand, as Kon-Mai and Dhar-Mon bowed in return.

"Now, for your reward."

"We get a raise." Gur-Rai smirked.

"God, I wish. No." Bradford straightened his back, standing at attention. "I hereby promote you three to the rank of Sergeant."

Kon-Mai gasped in shock, and Dhar-Mon blinked in confusion. Gur-Rai, on the other hand, simply smiled and saluted Bradford in return.

"Central." Dhar-Mon murmured. "Are you certain?"

"Positive." Bradford smiled, and saluted the three of them. "For your excellent work in the field, and together."

.

.

Vicky met the Commander's gaze, then shivered and directed her gaze at the ground once again. In the darkness of the room, Senuna's eyes cut through her like a beacon, glowing with unimaginable power.

"Your actions today were a disgrace." Senuna hissed behind her fingers, which she held to her lips. "I put my trust in you."

"I'm sorry, Commander…" Vicky lowered her head.

"You not only neglected your duty, but you fought with your own teammates and insulted one of my best soldiers." Senuna stood. "Your negligence cost us Shamil. And it NEARLY cost us ZHANG!" She slammed her hands into the desk. "Do you have ANY IDEA HOW IMPORTANT HE IS?! What it would mean if he had DIED?!"

Vicky fell to her knees, hugging herself. "I'm sorry, Commander! I'm sorry!" She was screaming. "I'm sorry! Shamil was...I couldn't leave him!"

"And yet you had to leave him either way!" Senuna threw her hands up. "But I suppose this is my fault. Vet your soldiers and all that. This is what I get for trusting you." She turned on Vicky again, who had dissolved into a puddle of tears. "**Get. Up.**"

She lifted her head.

"I am stripping you of your rank." Senuna said. "When we next land at the Houston Safe Haven, YOU shall be returning there!"

Vicky's jaw dropped. "No, Madam, please-"

"From this moment on, **you are no longer a member of XCOM**." Senuna almost snarled. **"I never want to see you on MY SHIP AGAIN**."

"Madam, NO!" Vicky clasped her hands. "Please! All I wanted to do was help! I want to help!"

"Then get out." Senuna raised her hands, aquamarine lightning dancing on her fingertips. "What I'm doing for you is a mercy: **you have no idea the powers you have crossed this day.**"

* * *

(Today, we see a side of Senuna she usually keeps hidden. We also got to see the Chosen finally working as a team, and I for one love it! Can't wait t write more battle scenes with all three of them!)


	18. If U Seek Amy

It seemed to Kon-Mai like she had spent her life here, in the ship's infirmary.

In a way, she had been born—reborn—here, awoken to darkness, with new possibilities surrounding her. Her brothers, too. They had all been born here.

And now Colonel Zhang was born anew here. Or at least, he would be.

Kon-Mai stood over him, peering over his body curiously. His skin had returned to a more normal tone, his face slightly flush from the warmth of the room. His knuckles and joints did seem to be a bit chafed, but that was superficial and would likely pass. Tygan, though incredibly miffed at her brother for his…relative carelessness, had managed to work with what he was given, and Zhang was likely to come out of this with all his insides where they were supposed to be. That was thankful. He'd need them.

She wondered how old he was. From what she knew, Zhang had appeared to ADVENT already an old man, but there was no way a frail old timer could survive what he had. Unless…

Something must have been very special about him. It would explain why ADVENT kept him so secret, even from their own Chosen.

Kon-Mai pondered the thought. Come to think of it, there was so much she did not know. Some things she had never known. The Elders never told her, and she never questioned. Yet some thoughts seemed to echo in her mind, like imprints of old memories, but without her chip, that was all they were. Imprints. A few lines of code here, a mountain range there, the walls of a black building, _a clone_…

Zhang's body jolted beside her, and she felt him scoot away, or at least try to while hooked up. She looked up to meet his golden eyes, awake and glaring at her in terror.

Kon-Mai bowed her head and knelt beside him, trying to seem as non-threatening as possible, but he still seemed to startle at her presence. She knew he would, but it still hurt to see him panic at the sight of her.

"Colonel Shaojie Zhang." She said in that raspy, inhuman voice of hers. "I am Sergent Kon-Mai Mordenna. I am…" She hesitated. What _was_ she to XCOM? Was she still a Chosen? Was she a soldier? She finally settled on "I am an agent of XCOM. The Commander instructed me to-"

"You." He choked out through his oxygen mask.

She startled. "You recognize me?"

"Where am I?" He demanded, beginning to sit up, hissing as the stitches on his abdomen pulled with the movement.

"You're in XCOM's flying base, the Aven-" Kon-Mai broke off as Zhang began to tug at the wires, and she grabbed his arms to stop him. "No, Colonel Zhang, you mustn't do that! You will injure yourself further!"

"Are you truly of XCOM?" He hissed. "Let me go, I need to see the Commander. It is urgent."

"I am, I assure you! You can tell me, and I shall report to the Commander." Kon-Mai said.

"No." He insisted. "Her ears only. I need to see her."

"She cannot be seen at the moment. And YOU cannot leave-" Kon-Mai did not get a chance to finish.

Zhang threw out his hands in a shove, and a wave of psionic force pushed Kon-Mai away. She flew backward, slamming against the railing of another bed and flipping over, the metal frame landing on top of her. She tried to roll over, and heard her own voice scream out with the pain of doing so.

Zhang was getting up from his bed, slowly, and grabbed at his IV drip, perhaps intending to pull it out before he decided, smartly, to simply bring it with him. Kon-Mai kicked the bed frame off of her and scurried to her feet, rushing to block the exit. Zhang tried to hit her again, but she was ready and ducked under his blast. It still knocked into her shoulder though, and she stumbled, which gave him the opportunity to grab a nearby tray and attempt to hit her with it.

Kon-Mai raised her arm, blocking his blow from hitting her in the head, but he swiped his foot across her leg. She tried to roll with the motion, but her back cried out in pain and she slipped back to the ground, hitting with a thud just as footsteps could be heard from outside in the hall, running towards them at breakneck speed.

"What the hell is going on?!" Bradford cried, and Kon-Mai felt a much stronger pulse than anything Zhang had put forward. Someone reached down and scooped her into their arms, and she looked up at her big brother as he stared down in horror at her condition.

"Dhar-Mon, I am fine." She assured him, but her voice was weaker than she expected. "The Colonel simply…caught me off guard."

"How DARE you strike my sister!" Dhar-Mon turned and bellowed at Zhang, who was currently focused on Bradford. In fact, he didn't even look up until Dhar-Mon growled like an angry dog, and even then, Zhang did not seem intimidated.

"I don't have time for this." Zhang snapped. "Bradford, I need to speak with you and Senuna."

"Hold the fucking phone." Bradford snapped. "First of all, hello Zhang, nice to see you too. Second of all, you just ASSAULTED one of my soldiers, and finally, get your ass back in bed! That's an order!"

While Kon-Mai simply chuckled at this, Zhang looked absolutely flabbergasted by Bradford's display of authority, to the point that he seemed completely frozen and speechless.

"Back in bed." Bradford said again. "Then we'll talk. And the Commander is busy."

"I need her to hear this." Zhang growled. "Believe me, Bradford. It's of great importance."

"Well then, I'll just go grab her out of the fucking shower. I'm sure she'll appreciate that." Bradford growled. "No. It can wait. Ass. Bed. Now."

Too bewildered to argue, Zhang complied, getting back into bed in a half-sitting position.

"Brother. I am alright." Kon-Mai assured Dhar-Mon, who was still holding her. "You may release me…"

"I could hear you scream from my quarters, Sister." He replied. "And it was so painful I could feel your injury in my own bones. I will not let you down until I know you are well."

"Oh? And when will you know that for certain?" She chuckled and leaned against his chest.

"Central." Dhar-Mon stood at attention. "Permission to take my sister to her room.

"Granted." Bradford chuckled. "There's ice packs in the bar, if you need any."

As they left the room, Kon-Mai glanced over Dhar-Mon's shoulder. Zhang was staring at them intently, looking like he wanted to say something. But alas, he remained silent.

.

.

The garage door peeled open slowly, and the cool night air hit Gur-Rai full force. He took a deep breath, pulling his hood closer around him. "You smell that, Lily? That smells like adventure!"

"Right?" Shen crossed her arms. "I've always been a night owl. That's the one thing I do appreciate about the city centers: they got rid of so much light pollution." She pointed up. "Look at all those stars!"

He chuckled. "If you think that's impressive, wait till you see the planets that orbit them."

Shen's face lit up. "Seriously?"

"Oh yes." He smirked, wheeling the bike out onto the open grass. "You believe in aliens, don't you?"

"Yeah yeah, smart ass." She chuckled and took the other handlebar, helping him push it to a semi-recognizable road. "These old roads are so…haunting, under the starlight."

"Did you ever see Uruguay before it looked like this?" Gur-Rai asked. "When it was actually inhabited?"

"Nope. I saw Mexico once though!" Shen chirped.

"Your father's work, I assume?"

"Kinda, but not really. It was for the Commander's wedding-" She broke off, her face going pale.

"The Commander's what now?" Gur-Rai's bald brows shot up.

Shen kept her mouth shut, only smiling at him before turning her gaze back to the bike.

"You said her wedding?" He leaned forward. "She had a wedding, Lily?"

"Yep." Shen pressed her lips into a thin line.

"No, Lily, don't leave me hanging like that!" Gur-Rai leaned over the bike. "The Commander is married?!"

"Uh…it's complicated." Shen coughed.

"Well, I'll say! Who did she marry?"

Shen scoffed "I don't remember his name, Gur-Rai. I was six!"

"Well, you have to remember _something_! One doesn't just forget the COMMANDER of XCOM getting MARRIED!"

"Look, I remember taking a lot of pictures and not being able to breathe in the dress my mom made me wear!" She cried. "I sure as hell don't remember her husband's name."

"But it was a man?"

"Pretty sure."

"Hm." Gur-Rai pursed his lips. "I always assume she played the other team…well, she really is full of surprises then."

"She never brings him up." Shen said. "And, seeing as he's not here?" Shen raised an eyebrow and waited for him to make the connection.

"Isn't that a love story for the ages!" Gur-Rai sighed wistfully. "Doomed lovers separated by war, torn apart by duty to their cause and an evil like the worlds has never known! Will fate ever smile down on them? Will they ever be-"

"Hey, cut it out." Shen snapped. "If you're trying to squeeze more info out of me, I already said I don't remember. And have you seen the Commander when she gets upset? I wouldn't ask her about it, Gur-Rai, so just drop it."

"Oh but Lily, the drama!"

"No, seriously." She said, her face pleading. "I don't want to hurt her like that. She's been through so much already."

Gur-Rai's smile dropped. "I won't, Lily. If it's that serious…"

"Yeah…good." She sighed. "I'm…sorry. I kinda snapped at you there."

"No, no, I should apologize." He patted her back. "I'm sorry, Lily. I shouldn't be prying into things like that."

"Oh shut up, you drama queen." Shen smirked. "Let's get this thing out on the track, ok?"

.

.

Kon-Mai pouted as her brother carried her down the hall toward her room. "I can walk perfectly fine, Dhar-Mon."

"I will take no chances with your health." Dhar-Mon insisted, his loud voice booming in the empty hallway.

Kon-Mai rolled her eyes. "He did not hit me that hard." She chuckled. "The bed did most of the work."

"The impact could have broken your back!" Dhar-Mon asserted. "No, it is better you do not try to walk on an aggravated injury!"

"Would you do this with Gur-Rai?" She asked. "Is it because I am so young?"

"Of course I would do this for him!" He scoffed. "And you two are _both_ incredibly young. As your eldest brother, it is my job to protect you!"

Kon-Mai fell silent at that. "Your job?"

"Of course." He said calmly. "If it were Gur-Rai in this predicament, I would bear his scrawny little body to bed as well."

She didn't know what to say to that, but something about it sat ill with her. It felt strange to be curled in her big brother's arms like a child. Strange, but not exactly bad.

She pressed her face into his shoulder as he opened the door to her room. "Rest here, Sister." He said as he laid her gently on her large bed, stopping her as she went to rise from it. "Would you like anything? Some water perhaps?"

"Well, if you are going to insist I bind myself to this bed, then yes, I would welcome some water." She chuckled, as he took the glass already at her beside and went to fill it at the sink. She turned onto her side, her back still aching but the pain subsiding slowly as the fresh injuries faded into bruises. She had to admit, her throat was a tad sore.

"Take this, you insolent child~" Her brother mumbled, chuckling, as he came back to her. Instead of just leaving it, he put a hand to her back and directed her to sit up, handing her the water and ensuring she drank.

"Why do we still drink?" She said as she handed the now half-empty glass back to her brother. "We do not need food, why water?"

"Psionic energy can compensate for many things." Dhar-Mon took the glass and left it beside her on the table. "But it cannot compensate for moisture. And the Elders could not eliminate that need completely."

"They could not do many things, under examination." Kon-Mai chuckled.

Dhar-Mon sighed, taking a minute to formulate whatever he wanted to say next. He would open his mouth, then close it again and shake his head.

"You are right, Sister." He finally said. "They couldn't deliver upon half of what they promised us."

She reached out and rubbed his arm. "Do not try and justify their actions to yourself. The Elders are incapable of feeling the love you held for them."

"I try." He admitted. "But I find the more I try to accept this evil as fact, the angrier I become. Sometimes, it feels even worse to accept that they are morally deprived. It is easier to think I did something wrong."

Kon-Mai followed his silence with her own, only reaching out to take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "I know." She whispered. "I know the feeling of it. It hurts me, as well, Brother."

"Please, let us not dwell on this." He stood up. "Do you need anything else?"

"Hand me some of the fabric over there, and my pins." She smiled. "If I am now bedbound, I'm going to get to work on making you those shirts."

"And Gur-Rai his trousers."

"Ah, yes. I need to get his measurements…" She sighed.

.

.

Senuna threw on her blue cardigan, buttoning the front few buttons just as the door slid open. Bradford wheeled Shaojie Zhang inside, toting his IV drip behind him. The old man looked like he was on death's door still, but upon seeing Senuna, his face lit up.

"Sunny." He whispered. "It really is you."

"Chilong!" She vaulted over her desk and sprinted up to him, kneeling down and reaching out for his hands, as though she were afraid to touch him.

"Come now, is that any way to greet an old friend?" He held his arms open, and she smiled and dove into his grasp, leaning into his hug.

"It's been so long." She whispered. "There's so much I have to tell you."

"And there is much I must tell you." Zhang pulled away. "Commander. You will want to sit down for this."

She furrowed her brow, moving back to her desk as Bradford pushed Zhang in front of it. Jane, ever watchful, sat off to the side on one of her white leather couches, her hands in her lap. Bradford moved to the Commander's side, reaching for a discarded mug of coffee that had long gone cold.

As soon as everyone was settled, Zhang spoke. "Moira Vahlen is alive."

Senuna gasped. Bradford dropped his cup of coffee, shattering it on the floor. Even Jane's stony face twisted into a look of shock and horror. Zhang maintained eye contact with the Commander the whole time, the lines across his face making him look almost angry.

Senuna began to tremble, her lip quivering. "…Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He nodded. "I heard she was passing through Triad territory."

"Stop stop stop." Bradford raised a hand. "Triad is still operating? Under ADVENT?"

"That is what I heard." Zhang said. "They're operating…WITH ADVENT."

"Christ." Jane sighed. "That's what we need right now."

"If Vahlen was in Triad territory, then…" Bradford closed his eyes, and they could practically smell the gears turning in his head.

"She might not be there on behalf of ADVENT!" Senuna cried. "She might be on the run from them. Or was escaping capture. And it's the first lead we have."

"It's been 25 years." Jane said. "How did you even get this info, Zhang? I thought they had you locked up." She glared at him suspiciously.

He sighed. "I understand your concerns. Rest assured I had no love affair with ADVENT." He growled. "But with the torture of my mind…my powers grew. I heard things."

"Oh?" Jane's look did not soften.

"Yes." Zhang met her gaze. "While my body rotted and festered, my mind grew sharp. Soon enough, Nuwa's little birds heard my message. And they got you to come to me."

Senuna was silent, seemingly pondering all of this. "…So the Triad…is loyal to ADVENT?"

Zhang looked up. "No…ADVENT and the Triad work hand in hand."

"Why?" Senuna raised a brow. "ADVENT is in charge of the world. They don't need the mafia."

"They are technically in charge, but their hold on China was never strong." Zhang admitted. "Triad operatives have made ADVENT's takeover much…smoother in the past 25 years. Their agents work as members of ADVENT. They hold jobs as governors. They administer finance. And from what I heard, they are beginning to grow dissatisfied."

Senuna smiled, her teeth glinting in the light. "Then this is our perfect opportunity. The stars have aligned, it's time for XCOM to get _down and dirty_." She stood up. "When you have recovered, Zhang, how would you feel about making contact with the Triad again?"

"I don't know how welcoming they will be." He admitted. "But for you, Sunny, I am willing to try."

"Thank you." She stepped around her desk again her desk and embraced him in a gentle but firm hug. "I missed you, Chilong."

"And I you, Sunny." He patted her back gently with the arm not hooked up to the IV.

.

.

Dhar-Mon had actually hoped his sister would request that he stay with her for a bit. Talking to her was always so much fun, she had a brilliant mind, and her presence was calming. In fact it was perhaps one of the only things that did calm him since his…resignation. He would much rather have spent the afternoon helping her with her projects.

But instead, he was stuck here. In the radio room. Looking at maps.

This assignment had actually been Bradford's idea. He'd assumed that since Dhar-Mon had set up his stronghold in the most famous church this side of Christendom, he was at least competent in strategy and geography. And, truth be told, Dhar-Mon did KNOW it, he just…found it mind-numbingly boring.

So he sighed, and sat back in the chair that was way too small for him, and stared over the map. He was supposed to scan each area for resistance contacts, or havens trying to get in touch with XCOM. That was coming up empty most places he looked. If they were out there, they were being quiet.

The day felt like it was dragging on, minutes blending into hours. Dhar-Mon leaned back in his chair, blowing a strand of hair away from his face, looking for something that captured his attention. He _could_ find faces in the stucco on the ceiling; he'd done that back at the church when he couldn't sleep and it was always a good use of his time. But this ceiling was made of metal grates, and there were no faces to find.

As Dhar-Mon leaned back even further, his heart leapt into his chest, and he felt a rush of air as the chair tipped over backward. He waved his arms around, trying desperately to grab something, and something he did indeed grab. Unfortunately, it lifted off the table with him, and he fell backwards onto the floor with a crash.

Dhar-Mon lay there for a moment, rubbing the soreness from his head, but really it was his pride that was hurt more than anything. He grumbled a few words in Etheric that he would have flayed Gur-Rai for saying, and slowly got to his feet, realizing that the object that caused his fall was still in his hand.

He looked down, then lifted it to his face for a closer look. It was a large, brown rectangular box, with black mesh on one side and several dials on the front. On the top was a large power button.

"Curious contraption." Dhar-Mon set it on the table and stood the chair upright once again, sitting down carefully and making sure not to lean back this time. He stared at the map again for a moment, before his eyes wandered back to the strange machine on the table behind him.

It was dusty and cold, utterly lifeless. Gur-Rai would probably have a field day with it. Gur-Rai would probably know what it WAS for that matter. But Gur-Rai always got to have fun with electronics, and Dhar-Mon had found this one, therefore he should be the one to play with it. It was only fair.

Dhar-Mon grabbed it again and set it on his lap, staring at it. He turned it over, saw nothing, and then set it upright again and pressed the power button.

"HELLO LOVELY LISTENERS, THIS IS YOUR DIVINE DJ-"

The loudness of the noise coming from the machine frightened Dhar-Mon so badly, he flung the box across the room. It landed with a loud thud and skipped a bit, but the extreme clamor continued. He huddled in the chair, staring at it for what felt like an hour.

"AND I'M HERE BRINGING YOU ALL THE BIGGEST HITS FROM BEFORE THIS DAMNED DECADE!" The sound was far too loud, but now that he wasn't startled, Dhar-Mon was more intrigued by this strange noise maker. He got up and slowly slunk over to it, reading through each of the buttons as he got closer. He tried turning one, and the noise turned to static for a moment but it did not get any less loud. The one right next to it, however, brought the volume to an acceptable level.

"Anybody remember the early 2000's?" The DJ said, his voice now at a level Dhar-Mon could listen to without cringing. "I was just a little kid back then, but man oh man, those were some good times. Stealing my sister's rubber bracelets, diaries with voiced passwords, we thought that was the future." The DJ chuckled with nostalgia as Dhar-Mon set the box down on the table again.

"Well here's a classic from all the way back in 2009! My momma used to play this on the radio all the time…heh, she never caught the double meaning. Here's Britney Spears in "If U Seek Amy."

The music started off slow, with a high pitched woman's voice singing the tune, but Dhar-Mon startled once again as the beat suddenly dropped. It was a pounding, rhythmic melody, and he almost turned the volume back down until she started singing again.

_Oh baby, baby, have you seen Amy tonight?  
Is she in the bathroom, is she smokin' up outside?  
Oh baby, baby, does she take a piece of lime  
For the drink that I'mma buy her, do you know just what she likes?_

At first, Dhar-Mon bristled. This was the kind of music Gur-Rai would listen to, and he took anything that boy recommended with several grains of salt. But he found, as the melody continued, the beat was rather catchy, and the music, combined with the woman's amazing singing talent, was beginning to loosen his trepidation.

_Love me, hate me  
Say what you want about me  
But all of the boys and all of the girls  
Are begging to "If U Seek Amy"_

It definitely did not help him pay attention to his task at hand, in fact the music drew his attention away, but with almost no resistance on his part, Dhar-Mon let his mind wander with the beat of the song.

_Love me, hate me  
But can't you see what I see?  
All of the boys and all of the girls  
Are begging to F-U-C-K Me_

.

.

Malinalli hated days when it wasn't busy, especially if those days came right after a mission. It meant that something had gone terribly wrong.

She'd helped with Zhang's clean-up, but the surgery itself Tygan shooed her out of the room for, and he'd been assigned a different recovery nurse. Everyone was talking about this enigmatic new stranger who the Commander put so much stake in, and all the medics wanted to be the one to oversee his care. But his room was locked up tight, save for a few officers. She'd seen Kon-Mai go in there earlier though. Maybe the Shrinemaiden could sneak her in~

The area she was supervising was pretty much empty, save for the occasional soldier coming down for Tylenol or because they found a tick on them or because their tongue was green after they'd eaten three lime popsicles. Malinalli sighed at the empty room as she ran her fingers through the supply cabinet one more time. Some things never changed, from bootcamp trainee to Avenger medic.

She pulled her hair out from it's bun, rubbing her sore scalp as her natural curls flowed free. As important as it was to ensure the cotton balls were sorted on merit of fluffiness, she figured a fifteen minute break wouldn't end any lives.

She turned on her heels and began down the hall, her steps a bit off kilter as she closed her eyes and yawned. Maybe she'd get a nap after her shift. But she had promised Dhar-Mon they'd practice more today…

Dhar-Mon. She'd never miss out on a session with him. A flush of warmth came to her cheeks. Of all the girls to get so lucky-

And she cut that thought right there! Dhar-Mon was a friend, and had pretty much just been introduced to life outside a cult. She'd never push something like romance on him, not like that.

Malinalli took a deep breath and straightened her back, shoving those thoughts down. Dhar-Mon was her friend. A very, very good friend, whom she trusted. He was her friend.

As she reached the women's barracks, she stopped, her ears picking up a faint, almost silent noise.

Of crying.

Malinalli steeled herself. This sometimes happened after a particularly hard mission, and she knew the last one had seen a casualty. Soldiers close to one another would sometimes snap from the pressure.

But as Malinalli rounded the corner, she did not expect to see- "Vicky?"

Her fellow medic sat in a puddle of her own sorrow, her nose and eyes beet red from, presumably, hours of crying. Her usually neat little buns were hanging loose by her neck, and she hadn't even taken off her uniform, still from that fateful mission.

At the sound of Malinalli's voice, Vicky lifted her head, staring up at her with melancholic brown eyes. Malinalli almost staggered at the sight of this usually cold, bitchy nurse with an ego the size of Earth, now crumpled on the floor.

She thought of asking Vicky what had happened, but something told her the death of Shamil Naumov had something to do with it. Instead of saying anything, she sat beside her colleague, offering her some comfort even though they had never been close. Malinalli reached out, not quite touching her, but offering her a hand.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm here."

"It's not fair!" The floodgates opened again, and Vicky began to bawl. "It's not fair! I tried _so hard_, Molly!"

"I know." Malinalli put a tentative hand on her back. "It's not your fault."

"Tell that…" She hiccuped. "Tell that to the Commander!"

"The Commander? Vicky, what happened?"

Vicky began to sob harder, to the point that Malinalli couldn't understand a word she was saying.

"Vicky, hey, take a deep breath." She patted her back. "Please, you're gonna make yourself sick crying like that."

"She's making me go! I don't wanna go!" Vicky said, continuing to wail.

Malinalli furrowed her brow. "Making you go…where?"

"Off the ship! She said…she _fired _me, Molly!"

Malinalli gasped, a numb feeling of shock settling over her bones. The Commander fired Vicky? "Why?"

"Because I…" Vicky's sobs were turning to sniffles. "I was trying to save Shammy…"

"Are you kidding?" Malinalli scoffed. "That…that's…" She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. "That isn't right."

"She said because of me Zhang…" She couldn't finish the sentence. The tears began again. "Molly…Shammy was like…he was all I had…"

"I…I know." Malinalli squeezed her shoulder. "Shamil was an amazing person, and he wouldn't stand for you being treated this way…" She stood up. "Wait here for me."

Vicky looked up at her. "What are you going to do?"

Malinalli pondered that for a moment. "Either to get you your job back, or to get kicked off the Avenger myself."

.

.

Shen let out an ear splitting scream as Gur-Rai's bike flew over a bump in the path. He revved the engine and leaned forward, the wheels gliding back onto the dirt like it was butter.

"THIS IS AWESOME!" Shen dug her nails into his jacket, and Gur-Rai laughed.

"Just you wait, Lily!" He chuckled as he sped up, the wind whipping past his face and a smile on his lips.

"WHERE ARE WE GOING?!" Shen screamed in his ear as he headed straight for a large, conspicuous pile of dirt off the side of the road.

"Hang on!" He called back to her, and floored the pedal. He had no idea how fast he was going, but this was the most excitement he'd felt since XCOM had come knocking on his door.

"GUR-RAI!" Shen screeched and buried her head in his shoulder. "NONONO!"

At the last second, he pulled up, the front wheel lifting from the ground and colliding with the dirt pile. The bike zoomed to the top and flew into the air, Shen screaming the entire time, and Gur-Rai let out a whoop and a holler as they came back down with a thunk.

"Stop! Stop for a second!" Shen pulled on his jacket. As she wished, Gur-Rai pulled over, and Shen sprang off the seat and sprinted into the weeds, stopping only as she bent over and hurled into the grass.

"Oh, stars." He put the kickstand down and jogged over to her, brushing her short hair out of her face as she continued blowing chunks. "I'm sorry. Never doing THAT again, that's for sure." He patted her back. "I'm sorry, Lily."

She coughed, spat, and waved nonchalantly. "That…was so fun!"

Gur-Rai blinked. "…You just made your insides your outsides."

"Yeah. I mean it was fucking terrifying." Shen shrugged. "But that was the most fun I've had in AGES!."

Gur-Rai chuckled. "And this is why I hang with you, Lily."

"Thanks, same to you." She caught his hand in a tight shake and pointed to the grassy area not covered in her puke. "Mind if we sit for a bit? My legs are wobbly."

"Of course." He plopped down in a shorter patch, and Shen laid down beside him on her back. There was a brief moment of comfortable silence between the two.

"Man, I really do love the stars out here." Shen sighed. "Now if only humanity didn't have to be enslaved to get this clear a sky."

"One of these days I'm taking you up in a spaceship." He said. "You'd LOVE the stars you see up there."

She looked over to him. "You've been in spaceships?"

"Oh yes. A few times." He laid back beside her. "Not often, we could teleport back then, but I got to go up in a couple scout ships." Shen was silent for a moment, and he took the opportunity to interject. "What about you, Lily?"

"Have I…been in a spaceship?"

"No." He chuckled. "I mean, what _about_ you, Lily? What brought you here? What made you want to save the world?"

She hesitated. "Well like I said, before, Dad worked for XCOM…and I guess I wanted to be near his memory."

"But you're not your father, Lily." He looked her over.

She fell very quiet. "…No…sometimes I worry about that."

"About what?"

"That I don't measure up." Shen answered so quietly he could barely hear her. "Sometimes…I dunno. It's stupid."

"No, no." Gur-Rai turned over on his side, facing her. "Sometimes what?"

Shen hesitated. "Sometimes, I still feel like a dumb teenager who just wandered in here. Like I don't actually belong…" She sat up and threw her arms around her legs. "Like, my dad had a doctorate in Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. I'm just some kid who puts parts together, and makes things run good."

"Oh hang on now." Gur-Rai sat up and grabbed her shoulder. "The FAMOUS Lily Shen is not just some dumb kid slamming parts together."

"I feel like it, sometimes." She whimpered. "I feel like everyone else is so important and I just…don't belong. My dad should be here."

"Your dad was a brilliant man, I will not deny. But YOU are just as brilliant, Lily, if not MORE!" He jumped to his feet. "Look at that bike!"

"Yeah…?"

"You built that bike!"

"WE built that bike."

"Yes but you knew EXACTLY how to make it run smoothly. If that was all me? It would have exploded the first bump it hit!" He sat down again. "Whatever. Here's my point: you do your job better than anyone else on this ship, Lily. Fuck the doctorate, doesn't mean shit anyway, at least not in ADVENTLAND."

She looked up at him with shiny eyes. "…You serious?"

"Lily. Some of what you built rivals ADVENT tech." He clapped. "That…that's INSANE. You gave THE ELDERS a run for their money. You are flipping incredible as an engineer, and I'm so happy I'm on your team now because you could kick my ass without lifting a finger."

She chuckled. "Well, yeah, THAT'S true." She winked. "Although I bet I could get in a few good hits myself."

"Well then I challenge you to a duel. Later." He grabbed her hands and hauled her to her feet. "Look here, I call you Dr. Shen not because of a piece of paper, but because what you've done makes you a certified genius."

Shen rubbed the back of her head and kicked the ground. "…Thanks…Gur-Rai."

"Anytime, Lily." He winked.

"No, I mean it." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, squeezing him in a tight hug.

"I never assumed you didn't." He chuckled and patted her back. "Hey. Why don't you drive us home?"

She scoffed. "Me, drive? Are you kidding?"

"Of course not. Go on, Doctor." He grinned.

She punched him in the arm and sauntered over to the bike. "If we crash, it's your fault."

"Always is, Lily, it always is."

.

.

Malinalli sucked in a breath as she stood outside the Commander's room. It was always so nerve-wracking going in there. Even though the Commander was only ever sweet and kind to her, she was also _very _high strung. One wrong word and she might blow up in your face.

But she had to do this.

She reached for the door and knocked. After a bit of clunking on on the other side, it slid open and Bradford stood there. "Oh, hello Molly."

"Um…" She stammered. "Is the Commander busy?"

"She's finishing up meeting with Zhang right now." He said. "But I can tell her-"

"Is that Malinalli?!" The Commander called from inside, and Bradford sighed.

"Yes."

"Tell her to come in! Molly, come in!" Senuna called. Malinalli heard the Commander say something else, addressing Zhang, but the words were muffled.

_"She is on the ship? That's dangerous, Sunny."_ Another voice whispered, deep and accented, and somehow familiar? That must have been Zhang.

Malinalli stepped inside and saluted Commander Senuna, who giggled and returned it. The medic gazed around the room, and her eyes fell on the old man sitting in the chair, still in his hospital gown, still connected to the IV drip.

"Colonel Zhang." She saluted him. "It's…nice to finally meet you. I'm Malinalli…Zúñiga…" She watched in confusion as he seemed to say her last name under his breath. Had she imagined that?

Zhang bowed awkwardly around what Malinalli was sure was a sore wound. "Hello Malinalli, it's an honor to meet you as well…Senuna has told me so much about you."

Malinalli smiled in confusion. "Oh…that's wonderful." She glanced up in bewilderment at the Commander, who smiled with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"What did you need, sweetie?" Senuna asked.

"Um…" Now came the hard part. Malinalli swallowed and took a deep breath. "Madam, I'm here to discuss Vicky's termination. I don't think it was right."

The tension in the room grew cold and stiff, and Bradford slunk back to Senuna's side, seeking to prepare himself for the explosion that was brewing.

Senuna's green eyes turned cold. "Oh?"

Malinalli was shaking like a leaf, but she forced her voice out. "I understand she performed…poorly-"

"Poorly is an understatement." Senuna snapped. "She completely disregarded her duty as a soldier. Ask Colonel Zhang. HE was the one she was meant to save."

Malinalli looked to Zhang. His eyes were plastered onto her, watching her every move. She felt like she was on the verge of shattering.

"Madam…she was scared." Malinalli whispered. "Sometimes…the best of us break. It happens in battle. I've seen good, strong soldiers lose their cool in the stress of combat. Even I've done it before."

"You never left a soldier to die, Molly."

"I don't know about that…" Malinalli met Senuna's eyes, turquoise meeting aquamarine. "People have died under my care before…I've frozen up, sometimes when I couldn't afford to. Maybe some of them I couldn't save, but some…if I'd just had my wits about me, maybe they'd still be here."

Senuna seemed to ponder that. "That being said, this was not_ just_ a soldier. This was Zhang. Vicky understood how important he was to retrieve alive."

"I know. And I'm not saying she shouldn't be punished. She should." Malinalli held her hands out in a pleading motion. "But…please Madam, give her another chance."

"And if she fails again? If she freezes in the field? If she lets another soldier DIE?" Senuna snapped, and Malinalli swore her eyes were glowing.

"Then I'll take responsibility and you can demote me as you see fit!" This part made Malinalli scream internally, but it was a gamble she had to take. The Commander had to know she was serious. "If you truly decide to terminate Vicky's employment with XCOM, I won't question you. But…I think she's capable, Madam. She just needs a second chance." She glanced over to Zhang, and noticed a slight smile on his face.

Senuna sat in utter quiet for a moment, and Malinalli feared the worst.

Then she took a breath and spoke. "You make a good point, little one." She shrugged. "And really, we can't afford to lose any good medics…" She tapped her glittery nails on the desk. "Fine, I'll reinstate her employment, but she will be demoted to Squaddie, and I'll need her to go through at least 100 hours of training before she sees combat again." She laced her fingers together. "And maybe a written apology for her behavior. I don't know. I'll think on that~"

Malinalli physically sighed, letting out the breath she'd been holding. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Madam! Thank you, thank you!"

Senuna smiled. "Oh Malinalli, anything for you sweetheart." She pressed a button on her intercom. "Would Victoria Immanuel please report to the Commander's Quarters? The Commander needs to speak to her."

Malinalli saluted Senuna and turned to leave, glancing one last time at Zhang. His golden eyes still following her, he nodded slightly, the smile on his face growing into a knowing smirk.

The door closed behind her.

.

.

"That was 'I Gotta Feelin'" by the Black Eyed Peas! Always were a favorite of mine."

Dhar-Mon hadn't even realized he's been staring at the same spot on the map for 15 minutes straight. He was lost in the songs. The music was captivating, his mind would go miles a minute with the beat of each one. It felt like he was reading a book, but each word had orchestral accompaniment.

He reached over and turned up the volume just as the DJ began to speak again. "Now for our next song: if you were alive before 2015, you'll know this voice. Maybe not the song, but hell, you'll know the singer. This is 'Porcelain' by the woman who needs no introduction!"

Dhar-Mon listened closely, the beats beginning soft, the tune syncing to the squeaking of chains. Then he heard her voice.

_Hold your horses  
Hold, hold the border  
Don't come closer  
Don't, don't let go of me_

It sounded so incredibly familiar, but in any case, it was beautiful. Her words carried with them such emotion, it nearly crippled him.

_I'm like porcelain  
When you're with me  
All, all I know is_

_Just about a million ways to harm you  
All the things I shouldn't say  
Are the things that, when I want to make you happy  
Only comes out of me_

This one didn't feel like the others. The beat drew up again and became faster, but something about the music was agonizing and melancholic and so, so sad. Whoever this woman was was hurting when she wrote this, when she sang this.

_We have got the power of destruction  
You can always let it fall  
But when we try to work on something solid  
It is too goddamn hard_

He took a breath and knew he should probably turn this off. He'd been sitting here for too long anyway, he had to get back to work. But he could not bring himself to move his hand, to reach for the power button to turn off the machine.

Why did this song make him think on Malinalli's face?

The song trailed off and ended just as he reached for the button, and Dhar-Mon froze as the DJ spoke again.

"That was 'Porcelain' by the lady, the lovely, the _legend_, Senuna."

* * *

(After that last chapter, some things needed to be sorted out. I'd say it all turned out better. At least I hope it did!

I REALLY need to thank Paranoidgirl for helping me with Zhang's characterization. She was the one who inspired me to add him with how she wrote him! Thank you for all the help! d=(´▽｀)=b

Songs used are "If U Seek Amy" by Britney Spears and "Porcelain" by Skott.)


	19. V5R93

(Content Warning: This chapter contains brief descriptions of gun violence and gore)

The quiet of the forest was broken by hurried footsteps, and the frantic crunch of leaves and twigs. One figure darted through the brush, alone, naked and afraid. Silence followed them, followed by several more that tore through the brush and vegetation with the heavy clumping of their boots.

A flock of birds burst from the treetops, scattering in the commotion. The figures did not stop, and the bare one, tall and lanky, panted as they leapt a log and nearly tripped, glancing over their shoulder as they did.

_*"V5R93!"*_ The troops called out in that distorted, mechanical voice. _*"Stop!"*_

V5R93 straightened up, squared his shoulders, and took off running as fast as his long legs would carry him, all the while chastising himself. Berating himself. He had become sloppy.

He slid to a stop at the foot of a towering gray cliff extending on either side. It took only a moment for him to survey the area and realize there was no way around this thing, only up. As V5R93 dove for the cliff, intending to begin his climb, he felt the sharp pinch of the bullets of a gun striking him in the back.

At first, he felt nothing, his limbs simply stopped working as he lost all control of his body and fell to the ground. Then the pain began to erupt like blossoms from the wounds in his chest and his back, and the two guards approached him, their guns still drawn. He gazed up at them, black eyes pleading for some kind of mercy.

_*"Damned Sectoids"*_ They said, cocked their guns, and fired again.

.

.

Kon-Mai smiled as she looked over the clothes she had dressed her brothers in that day. Clothes she had made herself; good enough to rival any ADVENT clothing store, that was sure. They had to make a good impression, and she was certain they would.

Her own outfit was one that distinctly outlined her feminine features, while still maintaining her authoritative (and terrifying) air. Her waist-high pants were made out of a strong, denim mix of deep magenta cloth and made it so she could bend her knees easily, lest she need to pick up her sword and fight. Her shirt, while a turtleneck, hugged her figure, the part of her Abyzou had always told her to be proud of. And right now, she has to admit, she _was _proud, although no thanks to her 'mother'. With her hair braided into several cornrows down her neck and a bit of purple lip tint, she felt very beautiful.

The Avenger had landed just outside of Kanab, Utah. Along the dusty ground, almost untouched by time, bones and tracks of ancient creatures lay scattered like a circle of protection. Tygan had shown her pictures of these beasts, and they rivaled some of the creatures the Elders possessed. These "Dinosaurs" were great scaled monsters, larger than the Avenger itself. Some swam in the water, devouring anything in their path, some ruled the land and reigned terror on those who crossed them. And some, though large, were peaceful, even cute. She liked those beasts.

From the distance, she could see the groups of soldiers beginning to arrive. Some had vehicles with them, but most were traveling on foot, carrying only what they had on their backs. Most were human, but from the sunlight across the sand, she could see a familiar face.

Kon-Mai's eyes widened upon recognizing him. "Savitr?"

"Hm?" Gur-Rai looked up from the stick he was using to draw in the sand. His outfit was one she had taken care to make much more durable, and she had good reason: he had already gotten it dirty. The polo shirt was slightly big around his scrawny middle, but his leather pants hugged his bony hips perfectly and accented what little features he did scarf he wore around his head to cover his baldness was also made of very durable Polyester. Kon-Mai prided herself on this endeavor.

"That Skirmisher." She nodded towards the group of them. "I know him."

"Which one?" Gur-Rai asked. "He looks like every other bitch."

"We cannot all be blue, Brother." Dhar-Mon sighed, once again smoothing down the jacket Kon-Mai made for him. It was light pink, matching the color of his eyes, and had some synthetic fur around the collar, making it look a bit like a Skirmishers cloak. The design on the back had taken hours to embroider, but the intricate wheel symbol had come out stunningly, and made it so Dhar-Mon adored that coat most of all. Of course, it was also made for cold weather, so the poor man was sweating in it out here, but he refused to take it off, citing the fact that he wanted to show off his sister's hard work.

Gur-Rai squinted against the sun, actually trying to get a look at the man. He didn't need to, however, as when Savitr saw Kon-Mai as well, he waved to her.

She raised a hand in return. "That one."

"Oh…" Gur-Rai bared his teeth a bit. "You let me know if he gets too close."

"If he does, I can handle myself." Kon-Mai insisted with a scoff.

"Yeah, I said the same thing once…" Gur-Rai seemed to freeze, falling very quiet, and Dhar-Mon put a hand on his brother's back.

"I am sure this man means our sister no harm." He said. "And in any case, it appears he will be joining us on the Avenger. He will be our teammate."

As the group began to congregate outside the doors, the Chosen heard footsteps behind them, and turned to allow Senuna herself to pass by. She beamed like the sun, stepping off the dock to greet the oncoming soldiers on ground level.

"Welcome, soldiers of XCOM." She clapped, and the others followed her in a cheer that echoed through the mountains. "I see many familiar faces in the crowd, as well as many new ones! Some of you have been on board the Avenger, seen her in her glory, but for many of you this will be your first time seeing the real war." Her smile faded. "And I warn you, this task shall not be easy. We will ask much of you here, and expect you to perform accordingly. We cannot afford to falter, not now." Her smile returned. "But to those of you who take on this challenge, you will receive the greatest of all rewards: your home, safely returned to you."

Another cheer went up, and Kon-Mai met Savitr's golden eyes. He smiled slightly when he saw her, and she nodded in return.

"As you can see, the war is going well!" Senuna giggled. "I'm sure you didn't miss the three blue giants standing behind me, some of you may even recognize them!" She gestured to the three Chosen. "These three are not here as our prisoners, but as our friends. For you see, soldiers, like the Skirmishers you fight beside, the Chosen have also cast off the yoke of the Elders, and now fight for freedom, justice, and humanity!"

Gur-Rai let out a whoop, which stirred the crowd into another cheer. At this point, the human soldiers seemed to be over the shock of seeing the Chosen. Those who were not looked at them in awe, like the humans in the city centers had…

Kon-Mai straightened her back and clasped her hands, trying to look as majestic as she could. Her eyes danced to Savitr once again, and she saw he had not looked away.

"With this incredible advantage, I'd hasten to say that by the end of this year, if not the next, this war will be OVER!" Senuna raised her arms. "The Elders will fall to us! We will regain our home!"

Home...Kon-Mai's mind lingered on that word.

.

.

After the speech came the extremely tedious task of checking everyone in, unloading cargo, reloading cargo, discharging soldiers that were getting off here, etc etc. And of course, the Chosen had been voluntold to help with that.

Kon-Mai was at the check in station, assigning each soldier their rank and place on the Avenger and handing them little makeshift name tags as she checked their names off of colorful boxes on a piece of paper. Gur-Rai and Dhar-Mon were helping the burlier soldiers load the resupply onto the Avenger's cargo deck, Dhar-Mon having taken off his jacket so as to not tear the fabric.

In the hullabaloo, Kon-Mai nearly missed him, but as a shadow fell over her, she looked up to those familiar eyes.

"Savitr Vallinor." She said, smiling almost against her will.

"Sergeant Mordenna." He bowed. "It will be an honor to serve under you."

"Under me?" She chuckled, writing down his name.

"I mean...if we do get assigned to any missions together. Hypothetically, it will be an honor." Savitr's peachy skin turned orange as he blushed.

She chuckled and handed him his tag. "Go inside, Vallinor."

"Yes, Mordenna." He bowed deeply to her and passed the table, towards the Avenger and where his sisters waited for him. Kon-Mai followed him with her eyes for a moment, until she heard a snicker beside her.

She looked at where Princess sat beside her, the purple-haired girl giggling like a child. "What is the matter with you?"

"You were getting flirted with~" Princess cooed.

Kon-Mai scoffed. "Can I not acknowledge another warrior's presence?"

"You couldn't tell? Damn you're clueless." Princess scoffed. "He's got eyes for you."

"You are simply imagining things." Kon-Mai shook her head. Still, the words lingered on her mind. WAS he interested in her romantically? What did it mean if he was?

She looked back at Savitr. This time, his attention was turned to his sister Nitocris, who seemed to be looking around in clueless excitement at the sight of the Avenger.

They were alike, she acknowledged. He cared for his sisters like she did her brothers. But she had never seen him in the field besides the brief, very boring patrol they'd been on together. She did not know him. How could she love someone she did not know?

Kon-Mai turned back to her task at hand. She decided to shelve the thought until further notice.

.

.

Gur-Rai straightened up, stretching his back, which was growing sore from the constant heavy lifting. He looked around at the people working around him, his brother still loading cargo the size of trucks like it was literally nothing. The Avenger would be well stocked after this, with soldiers _and_ supplies.

He put his hands on his hips and kicked the dirt, looking to where the medical tent was. As one of the soldiers exited and another entered, Gur-Rai could see Malinalli inside the tent, giving physicals to oncoming soldiers and checking off those who were going on shore leave. She stopped for a moment, her pen hovering above her clipboard, and then began writing again, slowly.

Gur-Rai furrowed his brow, a smirk growing on his lips. He dusted off his hands and traipsed over to her, pushing aside the tent flap and poking his head in. "Hello, Molly."

"Darkstrider, I'm with a patient." Malinalli hissed pointing to a Skirmisher woman who was sitting on the table, her hands resting over the very noticeable bump in her stomach.

Gur-Rai nodded to her and looked over the medic again. "Need help?"

Malinalli looked annoyed. "Um...not really."

"Well, Commander said to help you, so you have to give me something to do." He smiled as that lie passed right over his teeth, and straightened up...slamming his head into the top of the tent pole. Okay, he deserved that one.

Malinalli looked skeptical, but she sighed and looked around for something to give him. Her hand grabbed a plastic bag full of clear fluid and she handed it to him. "Go out into the woods and dump that somewhere."

"What is it?"

"Saline, I didn't mix it right, so it's basically useless. It needs to be disposed of, a tree or bush should do the trick."

"Molly, are you trying to get rid of me?" Gur-Rai smirked.

Malinalli smiled like she was about to crack. "Oh no, Gur-Rai, of course not. _Now please, go_."

Gur-Rai bowed and exited the tent, hearing Malinalli telling the woman inside "Okay, I'm gonna send you up to Tygan for an ultrasound, but from the test results…"

Her voice trailed off, and Gur-Rai passed the ever shortening line of people waiting to be checked into the Avenger database. He waved at his sister, who was still in charge of making name tags, and walked off into the deep green darkness of the woods.

The noise and chatter began to fade away as he slipped into the quiet green, and Gur-Rai took a deep breath. All of his senses were sharpened out here. He could see through the darkness as clear as a crystal. His skin prickled with the slight dampness of the air, and he inhaled deeply, tasting the faint electricity on the air. No doubt his own psionic ability was tainting it slightly. Damn the Elders for giving him the Big Think…

He traveled deeper into the woods, the trees growing in size and the sky growing dim behind their massive leaves. His skin tingled with the feeling that something was in here with him, his hunter's instinct on full alert. It was _exhilarating_.

The forest finally gave way to a clearing, bordered by a silver cliff with jagged rocks that looked quite menacing in the dim light. Supposing that this was as good a place as any, Gur-Rai poked a hole in the bag with his sharp nail and let the water drain out by a nearby tree. As the bag emptied slowly, he looked around the dark clearing, his eyes drinking in the surrounding green and purple and pink vegetation…

Wait, pink?

Gur-Rai dropped the bag and made his way over to the brush at the base of the cliff, the prickling of psionic energy dancing on his bare arms and face. He hesitated, drawing Darkclaw and clutching it tightly as he pulled back the brush...

"Well, well, well." He mused. "Look at you."

A Sectoid lay in the brush, bare and exposed, with its back to Gur-Rai and it's face in the dirt. At the sound of his voice, the Sectoid seemed to startle, and grabbed at the mud to drag itself away.

"Ah ah ah, not so fast." Gur-Rai twirled his gun on his finger. "Goodness, I should tell the Commander that the soldiers need more practice. That many bullet holes? You should be de-" He broke off, his eyes moving to the Sectoid's finger as it scratched something into the dirt. Curious, Gur-Rai knelt down.

H-E-L-P

His eyebrows shot up. Sectoids, at least the ones he knew, didn't know how to speak any human languages, and they CERTAINLY didn't know how to write in any. And yet, he watched as this Sectoid used it's clawed finger to slowly spell out "Help Me" in the dirt.

Gur-Rai took the Sectoid's face in his hand and tilted it towards him. "Hey you. Can you understand me? Can you understand the words I'm saying right now?"

The Sectoid nodded, softly, then their face twisted up in pain and they clutched the dirt again, groaning in agony.

"...Who did this?" Gur-Rai asked. "Who hurt you? Was it XCOM?"

The grasping hand, shaking from pain, drew one long line, then two short ones on either side, the symbol for the Elders. For ADVENT.

Gur-Rai stood. "Stay right here. Well, I guess you're not gonna go anywhere. I should say, don't die before I get back." He took off into a sprint, disappearing into the trees once again.

.

.

Gur-Rai poked his head back into Malinalli's tent, where this time Lothar was helping her hold down a patient as she worked to pull a piece of shrapnel from a very old-looking wound in a man's shoulder. "Hey. Molly." Gur-Rai snapped. "I need your help."

"I'm a little busy." Malinalli grunted. "What do you need?"

"There's a Sectoid in the woods."

The two medics froze, and Malinalli turned to Gur-Rai with a look of horror. "Is this an ambush?!"

"Probably not, it's just the one and it's injured pretty bad."

"So…" She looked at him funny. "You...want me to come see a dying Sectoid?"

"Yep. You're a doctor, you'll know what to do."

"Technically I'm a nurse…" She muttered with a sigh. "And I have human patients. They take priority."

"Human patients? Molly, that's pretty racist~" Gur-Rai grinned, his sharp teeth flashing.

"I didn't mean that!" She cried. "I'm not-!"

"Well if that's true, you'll come help the poor wounded Sectoid, won't you?" Gur-Rai batted his nonexistent eyelashes.

Malinalli sighed long and hard, looking very tired. "Um...Lothar can you-"

"I got it, Molly. Go see the Sectoid." He took the pliers from her, and she followed Gur-Rai out of the forest and into the woods.

.

.

Senuna wiped at a smudge on the Avenger's window. From her quarters, she could see around the back on the ship, where cargo was diligently being loaded. There was the Hieromonk, his long white hair pulled back in a ponytail to keep it out of his eyes as he worked. So dutifully he obeyed commands, so eagerly did he complete any task assigned him.

It made her old heart hurt, and she sighed, leaning against the window.

Her door opened, and she looked over expecting to see Bradford or Jane. But it was Zhang she saw instead, walking slowly with a cane. She smiled at the sight of him: she'd already been chastised for calling him "Old Man," but the idea was so funny to her. He'd never seemed old to her before.

"_I_ should be the one walking with a cane, Colonel~" She giggled as she stood up. "What's wrong? You look nauseous."

Zhang refrained from speaking for a moment until she gestured for him to sit. Only when he did, he finally opened his mouth. "The soldiers outside are…"

"Oh." She chuckled. "Right. You weren't here for that. They're called Skirmishers."

"They look like ADVENT." He said quietly.

"Yes, they do." She nodded. "Your point?"

His hand went to his chest, where the staples were still embedded in his skin from the wounds he'd sustained. Senuna saw this, and sighed.

"_They _didn't torture you, Chilong."

"They look like the ones who did." He protested, albeit calmly. "I know I am being unreasonable, Senuna. But I doubt how effective I'll be in combat alongside these...hybrids."

Senuna blinked slowly. "...Technically I'm a hybrid."

"That's different." He said. "You're different."

"How am I different?" She asked. "More powerful? Are you afraid of me, Chilong?"

"You look human, Sunny." He finally admitted.

"That's only because I got lucky." She stood up. "Do I, yet again, need to tell you where this body came from?"

"Are you implying you found out?" It was Zhang's turn to chuckle, at Senuna's discomfort.

She looked away. "Exactly, Chilong. Don't act like I'm better than them just because I look 'right'. In a lot of ways, I am much worse."

There was an awkward silence between the two for a moment.

"I'm sorry." Zhang relented. "This is not a subject I should joke about. I know how much it hurts you."

"No." Senuna insisted. "I'm sorry ADVENT did this to you. I'm sorry they took you. It was my decision that cost us this war, and it was my decision to send you into enemy territory."

"No it wasn't, Sunny. I made the choice to go behind enemy lines. I was determined to save you."

"Yes, but if I hadn't gone after Dante, in fact if I hadn't let them take him in the first place..." She stopped, her voice cracking, and shook her head. "Do you...want to leave the Avenger?"

The silence in response made her nerves go into a panic, and Senuna looked up just as Zhang sighed.

"How much use am I to you like this?" He muttered. "An old, broken man, a shadow of who I was. To let me go would only bring good things."

"Oh, don't you dare!" Senuna circled her desk and plopped down on the couch beside him, pulling him into a tight hug and only loosening her grip when he winced out in pain.

"Sunny." He wrapped his arms around her as well. "Please don't be upset. I don't like to see you cry."

"Chilong, I've lost so much." She whispered. "Please don't go. I don't want to lose you, too."

He hesitated. "If I want to go, Sunny, will you stop me?"

She was eerily quiet, then finally, "How could I? If that's...what you want." She pulled away. "You're my friend. I just want you to be happy…"

He smiled, and ran a hand through her silver hair. "I will stay, Sunny. If that is what makes you happy."

.

.

Malinalli jogged alongside Gur-Rai, her little legs struggling to keep up with what, to him, was a slow pace. "Slow down!" She cried. "I'm out of shape."

"So is my brother, and I wouldn't wait for him~" Gur-Rai chuckled.

"That's a lie." Malinalli smirked. "You'd absolutely wait for him. Right?"

Gur-Rai fell silent.

"I think it's sweet." She added. "You love your siblings so much. You put on this asshole persona but you're really just-"

"Over here." Gur-Rai cut in. "In this clearing."

Malinalli bent down and picked up the empty saline bag. "Over here?"

"No, over here." Gur-Rai parted the brush. "Hello there. Still alive? ...Good! I brought help!" He waved her over.

Malinalli came over and braced herself. At first she thought the Sectoid was dead, until she noticed the very slight movement of its body with each breath. There were bullet holes all throughout its back, and the ants had already begun swarming its body.

"Oh…" She said, her heart sinking. She got down on her knees beside the Sectoid. "He...she...um...they…" She looked it over. "What do you want me to call you?"

The Sectoid made a motion with it's mouth.

"Hm? He?"

The Sectoid nodded.

Malinalli began to pull her tools from her belt. "Gur-Rai, can you turn him over?"

"Yeah." He knelt down beside the Sectoid and began to slide his hands under him. It was then the Sectoid let out a cry of pain, startling both XCOM agents and sending Malinalli scampering back.

"Sorry! Sorry." Gur-Rai stopped, his hands still under the Sectoid. "I'm gonna go slow, okay? Let me know when you're ready…"

The Sectoid remained still for a moment. Then with the tiniest movement of his head, he nodded. Slowly, Gur-Rai slid his arms the rest of the way under him and pulled him towards his chest, and the Sectoid gasped as he rolled over in Gur-Rai's arms. The Chosen adjusted his grip and began to lay him down, but the Sectoid caught his arm, as if pleading him not to move.

"You wanna stay here?" Gur-Rai nodded. "Okay. Molly, can you work like this?"

"It's better" She picked up her tiny scanner and began to wave it over the holes in the Sectoid's chest. "...These were ADVENT guns…"

Gur-Rai nodded silently. The Sectoid in his arms whimpered uncomfortably.

"Almost done, hon. You're doing great." Malinalli said softly. "Okay…" She smiled. "Okay. Not as bad as I had thought…" She looked up at Gur-Rai. "Still bad though."

"How bad?"

"Punctured lung is the worst one…" She pressed a few buttons on the scanner picture. "This thing is so slow, sorry. One of his Psytocrean glands looks like it's ruptured, the one across from the Taux Filter."

Gur-Rai nodded, his blank stare conveying he had no idea what she was saying.

"My point is, if it's ruptured it's probably bleeding cytotoxins into his body, and that's bad." She pulled an emergency blanket from another pocket, the tin-foil texture crinkling as she shook it out. "Let's protect him from the hypothermia, at least." She said as she wrapped the blanket around the Sectoid. "You got a name, hon?"

The Sectoid moved his lips, but barely any sound came out. Seeing the two staring at him blankly, the Sectoid seemed to huff and reached out towards the ground again, his sharp fingernail began to carve the shapes into the loose dirt while Malinalli and Gur-Rai watched intently.

"V…" Malinalli squinted. "Is that a 5?"

"I think it's an E." Gur-Rai said. "V-E-R...9-E?"

"Why is there a random 9?" She asked.

"Maybe it's supposed to be a g." He nodded. "So, that spells Verge."

"Verge?" Malinalli furrowed her brow. "Are you sure it's not Virgil?"

"He wrote it, Molly." Gur-Rai shrugged, standing up with Verge wrapped up like a burrito in his arms. "In any case, let's worry about names when he's not-"

"-dying. Yeah." She stood up and pressed a button on her comm link. "Hey Tygan? I have another patient for you."

.

.

When they showed up at camp again, they attracted a lot of attention. People seemed to stop their conversations to look over at the two agents bringing a tin-foil wrapped Sectoid toward the Avenger. Gur-Rai kept his back straight and his eyes ahead, letting his posture speak for him. Malinalli, on the other hand, seemed to shrink inward under the scrutiny of the people.

Gur-Rai heard footsteps and saw his sister approaching him. He nodded to her. "Sister! I would wave but as you can see, my hands are full."

"Yes, I do see." She said worriedly. "Gur-Rai, what on Earth do you have?"

"A Sectoid." He said simply.

She walked alongside him briskly. "Is it dead?"

Verge raised a finger, and Kon-Mai jumped back.

_"Nalla itzar!"_ She yelped. "How is it alive?!"

"He's a he, Sister, not an it. That's rude." Gur-Rai grinned. "And his name is Verge."

Kon-Mai stared at him in disbelief. "You have NAMED it?!"

"Him, Sister, HIM!"

"Fine! _Him_! You-"

"Of course not. He told me that was his name." Gur-Rai nodded, looking very proud of himself.

"Well...why did you bring him here?!"

"We're gonna see if Tygan can fix him up." He said. "Malinalli did what she could, but she is only a nurse and-" He broke off as his foot hit the metal dock of the Avenger, and he looked up with a smile. "Hello, Commander."

Senuna, for once, did not greet the Chosen with a smile, but a look of deep discomfort as she saw the Sectoid in Gur-Rai's arms. Behind her, Zhang leaned forward on his cane, his eyes glistening with barely concealed anger and panic.

"As you can see, I have a wounded soldier here." Gur-Rai said. "I need to get him to Tygan ASAP."

Zhang turned to the Commander. "I know what we just discussed, Senuna, but you cannot allow this." He insisted. "That is a _Sectoid_."

Gur-Rai raised his brow. "Now now, Zhang, let's not be hasty. He's in dire need of care, and he's hardly a threat to you."

"I do not care." Zhang's voice trembled with barely disguised fear. "Those hings...that thing…" His hand went to his stomach, and the stitches that held it together. "Senuna, I am begging you. Don't bring it on board."

"Look, I get it, you're dealing with a lot right now, Zhang, and I am very sorry for that." Gur-Rai snapped. "But Verge here was attacked by ADVENT soldiers. He must have pissed them off. And if he annoyed ADVENT enough to get shot at, he's a friend in my book." Gur-Rai adjusted Verge, the Sectoid's limp head lying in the crook of his neck. "Now, let me on the ship."

"Commander." Zhang spat. "You cannot agree to let that Sectoid in. If you do, I…" He didn't seem willing to finish his sentence.

Malinalli hung back beside Kon-Mai, the two women staring at the conflict before them helplessly. Malinalli desperately wanted to interject, but she had already spoken out of turn once before. She couldn't win such a fight again so soon. Kon-Mai put a calming hand on her shoulder, her own cool magenta eyes watching the fight with intent.

Senuna looked back and forth between the Chosen and her dear friend. She looked lost. Her hands trembled and she clasped them in front of her, maintaining a stiff, militant posture. She opened her mouth to Zhang, but then looked at Gur-Rai, and ultimately said nothing.

"Commander." A strong, soothing voice said behind her. Dr. Tygan stepped up, pulling a stretcher behind him. "According to the Medical Neutrality Protection Act, it is my duty as a physician to treat those in need as I see fit, regardless of political affiliation. Therefore, on medical authority, I am taking this Sectoid on board." He didn't even wait for her response as he nodded to Gur-Rai to follow him.

Zhang and Senuna stared at the two in disbelief as Gur-Rai walked right past them, laying Verge's limp body gently onto the stretcher and following behind as Tygan pulled it toward the infirmary. As it shuddered over the patchy floor, Verge opened his eyes slightly and reached out, searching for Gur-Rai's hand. The Chosen took it and gave it a soft pat.

"You're on your way, friend." Gur-Rai chuckled. "Don't you worry; you're safe now."

Zhang sighed and shook his head, making his way back into the ship. "I suppose you couldn't stop that, could you?"

"Of course not." Senuna mused. "Medical authority...I rarely hear him pull that card." Her eyes lingered on the disappearing stretcher, and a slight smile crossed her lips. "Chilong, will you be alright?"

"Define alright." He grumbled. "I'll be...resting if you need me." Turning away from her, he hobbled back down the hall.

Kon-Mai touched Malinalli's shoulder. "Come."

"What about the Commander?" Malinalli whispered. "And Verge-"

"Trust me." Kon-Mai smiled. "If the Commander had wanted to stop this, she could have."

Malinalli fell silent. "...So she-"

She nodded. "Now, I must return to my work. And so must you, Molly."

.

.

"I owe you one, big time." Gur-Rai said as he transferred Verge from the stretcher to one of the beds.

"You don't owe me anything." Tygan insisted as he began to start up the larger scanner. "I would have helped either way. Sectoid or not, he is still a living being."

"Right you are, Doc." He let go of Verge's hand, the Sectoid's arm falling limp. "Will he be ok?"

"Only time will tell. But he's survived this long…" Tygan bobbed his head from side to side. "With luck, and a bit of skill, he will live to tell the tale." Tygan touched a button on his comm. "Victoria Immanuel and Chinonso Chikere, come to the Infirmary please."

"Well in that case, I leave you to your work." Gur-Rai said with a bow. "Unless you need help."

"I think you leaving _would _be the best help." Tygan muttered.

Gur-Rai backed out of the room, glancing back at Verge one last time as Tygan began shoving that god-awful breathing tube down his throat. He winced a bit, and almost turned around and insisted he remain.

Tearing his eyes away, he exited into the hall, where the Skirmisher woman from before was waiting, her legs crossed and looking lost in thought. One hand rested absently over her stomach.

Gur-Rai nodded to her, and she looked up, staring at him for a moment.

"Will I be seeing you around the Avenger?" He asked.

She hesitated for a moment, then she nodded. "Someday. This war is a long one after all. And I have a while to go."

He smiled and saluted her. "Well then; keep fighting the good fight, soldier." With a wink, he traipsed off into the darkness.

* * *

(Yes I love Verge too much. Sue me. I had to. :3

I needed an explanation as to why his name is Verge, I know others have an explanation for it, but I like to think it's because Malinalli and Gur-Rai had to share the brain cell that day~)


	20. What Do You Think the Future Holds?

The sun was barely up, the air holding a cool blue color as the celestial shadow began to cast across the earth. Kon-Mai was already up, making slow rounds through the dimly lit hallways. Dhar-Mon's snoring could be heard across the hallway from where his room was located. And in a strange and unusual turn of events, Gur-Rai was awake, bright eyed and bushy tailed. He strolled into the infirmary, a whistle on his lips. "Oh, good morning, Doctor!"

Tygan seemed to glare at him. "It is morning, yes." His voice sounded tired. Most of the lights were off except the ones around a few specific beds and Tygan's very, very messy desk. A half-full cup of coffee teetered precariously on the edge of the desk.

"You look like you just got mindfucked by a Priest." Gur-Rai chuckled. "I've been there~"

"I did not." Tygan grimaced with a look of disgust. "I had a late night, is all."

"Doin' what?" The Darkstrider leaned over Tygan's desk, reading over his work. Tygan quickly pulled his papers away, glaring at Gur-Rai like a cat.

"That is below your paygrade, Darkstrider." Tygan muttered.

"Oh Tygan, you know your secrets are safe with me~" Gur-Rai winked.

"I do not believe you." Tygan stood up. "If you must know I had several patients come in last night so I am already behind on my work."

"Aren't your nurses supposed to do that?" Gur-Rai asked.

"Do not talk badly of them. They help." Tygan answered. "But they need their sleep."

"Yes. But so do you." Gur-Rai took a few worried steps towards him. "Does the Commander know you're up all-"

"Why are you here, Darkstrider?" Tygan asked.

Gur-Rai seemed to deflate, but only for a moment. "I actually came to see our strange lil Sectoid patient." He crossed his arms. "If he's still alive."

"Oh he's alive." Tygan nodded. "I've been trying to get some answers out of him but the painkillers affect Sectoids...strangely." He made a face. "We must wait for them to wear off before we'll be able to speak with him."

"Well, where is he?" Gur-Rai looked around in an exaggerated motion. "Can I see him?"

Tygan seemed to hesitate a moment. "...Fine." He beckoned him over to a bed that was far out of the way, in a small, darker corner. "I put him here because the other patients were gawking."

"Can't have people gawking." Gur-Rai nodded. "It's quite rude."

Verge the Sectoid. Gur-Rai smiled slightly as he sat beside his bed. Already, around the painkiller induced malaise and the gunshot wounds, he could tell this Sectoid was...different.

"He has lips." He mused.

"Hm?" Tygan looked over Gur-Rai's shoulder. "Oh. Yes, he does."

Gur-Rai's hand strayed to Verge's fingers. Long and spindly, but strong. Five on each hand. Wrinkly knuckles. Very human. As he touched them, Verge whimpered a strange noise, and almost seemed to lean toward Gur-Rai. The Darkstrider patted his arm and Verge noticeably relaxed.

"I like this Sectoid." Gur-Rai said.

"Well, I sincerely hope he reciprocates the feelings." Tygan scoffed. "It'll be easier to get him to talk."

"Interrogating him so soon?" Gur-Rai chuckled.

The deep quiet that followed was broken only by the ticking of the clock and the gentle clinking of Tygan's tools. It made them both anxious.

As he waited, Gur-Rai passed the time doing what he always did when he was bored: picking at that one scab on his hand he never let heal. Maybe he'd get a tattoo over it someday. Now that he wasn't in the Elders' care anymore, and now that he wouldn't be restored to factory settings after every major fight, a tattoo might actually be fun! Well not fun to get. But creative, something to show he truly was his own man now.

Verge made a strange noise, and Gur-Rai snapped out of his trance, looking down at the strange Sectoid. At first he didn't move and Gur-Rai assumed he'd imagined it, but then Verge reached up and began rubbing his black eyes, blinking in the bright light.

"Well, well, well." Gur-Rai chuckled. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Verge startled noticeably and scooted away, as far away as he could in bed. He winced, his hand moving to touch the holes in his chest.

"No need for that. I'm unarmed." He tucked his arms behind his back. "See?"

Verge groaned. "Your...attempt at humor does not console me…" His voice was quiet, but his English was fluent.

Gur-Rai raised a brow. "You can talk AND write? However did you learn that trick?"

Verge took a shattering breath and shook with the very effort of it. "I learned...from the humans."

Gur-Rai sat on the edge of his bed. "You are quite the impressive Sectoid, Verge~"

"Why do you keep calling me that…?" Verge mumbled.

"That's your name."

"It is not." Verge shook his head. "I have no name."

"Then why did you write it in the dirt?"

Verge sighed, then broke out into a fit of coughing. "I was trying-" He inhaled, deeply, and nearly choked.

"Hey, hey, gently." Gur-Rai said. "Gently now."

"I was writing... 3." Verge grumbled. "That is my designation number."

"Well that's boring." Gur-Rai scoffed. "Can you imagine if the Elders just handed me a 'designation number' and sent me on my way? I wouldn't be the godlike creature you see before you today~"

Verge finally turned to face him fully. "You are...different." He whispered. "You are their son."

"So are you." Gur-Rai growled. "They were just more overt with their bullshit when it came to you."

Verge's eyes grew slightly wide.

"Oh, do you not know?" Gur-Rai smiled. "I handed in my resignation. XCOM gave me a better offer and I took it."

Verge relaxed significantly. "XCOM? Where...am I?"

"You are on the famous Avenger!" Gur-Rai said with flair, extending his arms in a sweeping motion. "Don't worry, this is just one room. There's a lot more too it~"

"Then I was not recaptured." His soft, agonized voice finally sounded joyous. "I made it…"

"Of course you made it, you little oaf." Gur-Rai smirked. "ADVENT would have let you die."

"That is...certainly true. But to be fair, I have been vividly hallucinating all morning."

"Never knew pain meds had that effect of Sectoids."

"We are expendable." Verge sighed. "There was never a need for it."

"Well you aren't expendable anymore." Gur-Rai assured him. "And now that you're awake, maybe I can get the Commander to come talk to you."

.

.

On the banks of the Aquiqui river, there she sat.

Assassin. Shrinemaiden. Many names she had. Many titles. Mordenna. Kon-Mai. There were others. What else?

The shriek of a child from the nearby resistance heaven sent her spiraling back into consciousness, and she opened her eyes and sat forward, head in her hands. Perhaps if she just stopped trying so hard to relax, then the peace of meditation would finally come to her.

The settlement here was, surprisingly, a large one. The people in Aquiqui had been mostly isolated from the initial invasion. And while ADVENT left no stone unturned, it was hard enough to get down the deep banks of the river, and through the thickly laid jungle, that these people were relatively well protected. In fact, they had at first insisted they didn't need an XCOM patrol and were almost outright hostile, especially when they saw Kon-Mai and her brothers.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear: Kon-Mai heard a cough behind her and turned to see Dhar-Mon, standing tall behind her with his arms crossed, as though he was trying to look intimidating. However, the expression on his face was more curious.

"What are you doing in this place?" He inquired.

"I am meditating." She sighed. "Or I am...attempting to meditate."

He raised a bare brow. "Why are you meditating?"

"It helps me organize my thoughts when they are in chaos."

"Are your thoughts in chaos now, Sister?" Dhar-Mon stepped up so he stood beside where she sat.

She thought for a moment. "Yes, I suppose they are seeing as I cannot seem to get my mind to stop racing along the wind." She leapt to her feet. She hated to leave so soon but it was clear peace was not coming to her today.

"What troubles you?" He sounded so genuinely concerned.

She shook her head. "I wish I could remember. My memory was always dependent on the chip, moreso than I first thought. Now that it is gone, I feel the rot of memories I had within the Elder's grasp. And in turn, I fear old wounds are reopening…" She paused, the silence hanging over them as Dhar-Mon pondered her words. She met his gaze. "Why are you out here, Brother?"

"Malinalli and I were going to train, but she was...called." He pouted. "She has patients that need tending."

Kon-Mai giggled. "Well, I'm sure she will not forget you, Brother. You are her favorite after all~"

She saw Dhar-Mon blush noticeably, and he stayed silent. She crossed her arms, waiting for an answer, but his thoughts seemed to be occupied.

"You are _mad_, Brother." She chuckled.

"I'm not." He looked puzzled. "Why would I be angry, Sister?"

"I do not mean angry." She tapped his arm, indicating for him to follow her as she began to walk. "I mean you have lost your sanity."

He seemed to ponder this as he followed her back onto the slightly battered grass that resembled a trail. "My sanity...yes. I wonder if I ever had such a thing…"

Kon-Mai sighed, nodding in agreement as the two turned and began walking further away from the village. Spending life since "birth" under the Elders meant her own point of reference was iffy at best, and she'd always been the "normal" one of her siblings.

For Dhar-Mon, "sane" had a very different meaning. When he was "sane," he'd spend hours praising the Elders' names, but he could see now that that behavior was far from rational. The Elders had told them it was the humans who had no faculties, it was the rebels who had lost their minds in defying their rule. Now...what did it mean to be "sane?"

"How do you feel then, Brother?" She asked. "When you think about her, I mean?"

"I feel sweet and light." He smiled so genuinely. "I want to tell the world her name. Any little thing she does, brings me such joy to see. When she laughs, it rivals the most magical song."

Kon-Mai chuckled. "You should ask Gur-Rai for help with this. I must admit I have no experience with love."

Dhar-Mon stopped. "Love?"

She thought for a moment. "From the way you describe your feelings for her, Dhar-Mon, I would hasten to say you feel romantic desire for her." She met his gaze. "That you desire a future with her."

He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was silence. He crossed his arms, huffing. "What future would I have, Sister, that could ever involve a human like her?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "...What DO you think the future holds?"

.

.

Verge tugged on his hospital gown. How he wished he could take it off, but Tygan had dissuaded such action. He claimed it would "scare the soldiers." He did not understand why. Many humans had seen him without clothes.

"And I bet they were scared of you." Gur-Rai said, leaning against the wall beside Verge's bed.

"Could you read my thoughts?" Verge asked, his expression hopeful.

"Didn't need to, it was written on your face." Gur-Rai hopped up and sat cross legged on the end of Verge's bed, taking out his pistol and playing with the rounds. Verge began to scoot away, flinching with every noise the gun made, and Gur-Rai stopped and quickly put the weapon away.

"What, don't like guns?" He chuckled.

"I have never liked them..." Verge admitted. "Sectoids aren't trained with guns."

"Seriously?" Gur-Rai sputtered. "The Elders truly have fallen far since losing the Commander. They don't even train their soldiers." He leaned forward. "Or WERE you a soldier, Verge?"

"I specialized in espionage." Verge said, laying back against the pillow. "In the early years of the ADVENT Empire I was in charge of consolidating the minor governments, making them...bend to us."

"Psionics, then. Like my brother." Gur-Rai leaned back on his hands. "I think you two would get along."

"I am unsure about that." Verge admitted. "Your brother seems quite...eccentric."

"Well...okay, fair. But he's gotten a lot better since we left ADVENT." Gur-Rai admitted. "He can actually talk to people now without yelling! Mostly."

Verge seemed to stare at him with those big black eyes. Gur-Rai met his gaze and smirked, causing Verge to falter just a bit.

"And you want to say something." Gur-Rai mused.

"Yes." Verge gripped at the blankets, and it became clear to Gur-Rai that even out of the grips of ADVENT, the Sectoid was still scared of the Darkstrider. "...Why did you leave?"

Gur-Rai snorted. "You mean leave ADVENT? Why NOT leave? They don't pay us half of what we deserve, they have shitty benefits, they're evil tyrannical monsters who slaughter all within their path…" He chuckled, but his voice was heavy and cold.

Verge looked up at him again, waiting for him to continue the thought.

"Well, why did YOU leave?" Gur-Rai asked. "YOU are a Sectoid. A literal genetically-bred slave. You're not even supposed to have higher cognitive functions."

"Yes, _Madron_, I realize that." Verge snapped.

"Well, you certainly have attitude." Gur-Rai smiled. "And you wear it quite nicely."

"At this point, I am not sure if this is an interrogation or a date." Verge grumbled.

"You've been on a date?" Gur-Rai asked in mild shock.

"Not I. But I have experienced them by proxy…" He trailed off. "In the minds of the people I controlled."

Suddenly it clicked. "You walked around in human suits?"

"Moreso I...remote controlled them with mind-melding." Verge seemed to have to force the words out. Speaking was painful. Gur-Rai wondered if that was a result of his injuries or...something else.

"You piloted them like drones." Gur-Rai nodded.

"I did." He fell quiet for a moment. "And when you spend that much time in the human brain...you realize they have something that the Elders don't have."

"And what is that?"

"Empathy." Verge said. "Humans can...feel the pain of others, without being hurt themselves. They see another human in distress and they help them."

"Not always." Gur-Rai mused.

"Not always. But in the majority of my time with them, they would." He stared at his spindly hands. "And I...I began to feel it too. Even when I was not human. I began to feel deep sadness for my fellow man."

"And then you became a real boy." Gur-Rai chuckled.

Verge stared at him blankly.

"That's a reference." Gur-Rai hopped off the bed. "And once that happened, ADVENT realized your brain wasn't working the way it used to, and you ran?"

"Not at first. This shift may have been gradual but I gained awareness before you were even born." Verge finally seemed to smile at that, especially when Gur-Rai looked surprised. "I was funneling information to various resistance groups through an...associate who was also working within ADVENT, but with a bit more freedom. I had to pretend like I was still brainless, but by consequence, the people above had no qualms about sharing confidential info around me."

"And then you'd let the resistance groups know." Gur-Rai nodded. "Clever."

"It was clever." Verge sighed. "Until they caught me."

"They were going to eventually."

"No, this one was my fault. I got too excited with the discovery. I was...careless."

"Well if it was that big, I'm sure it was worth dying over." Gur-Rai looked over to the clock. Half-passed three. He knew the Commander liked to sleep in but Hot Neptune…

"It was very time sensitive, and I'm not sure it's even worth sharing anymore…" Verge said back again.

"Well, if it's useless now, why don't you tell me?" Gur-Rai asked.

Verge looked away, obviously in hesitation.

"Hey." Gur-Rai gently nudged him. "Do you really think I'm gonna blab?"

Verge looked up, studying Gur-Rai with his eyes. "...Well...I discovered the whereabouts of Colonel-"

"Do not say Colonel Zhang."

"That is the man." Verge looked over at Gur-Rai. "...Why?"

Gur-Rai doubled over, laughing hysterically. "Oh, by Andromeda's brilliant asshole! That is amazing! That is just poetry!"

"What…?"

"We got your message!" Gur-Rai exclaimed. "Or, at least someone did! Nuwa Shen from the Black Market said one of her lil birds picked it up!"

"Black market…?" Verge looked confused. "Little birds?"

"You're not one of those birds, I take it." Gur-Rai shrugged. "Well, however you got out the message, it worked! Colonel Zhang is safe and sound on board this very ship."

Verge's face relaxed. "He is?"

Gur-Rai smirked. "I bet that's a load off your chest."

"It...it is." He nodded, smiling genuinely. "Thank you, Darkstrider."

As Gur-Rai opened his mouth to speak, the door to the infirmary opened.

"Sorry I'm so late!" A musical voice sang. Gur-Rai heard Verge gasped, and he himself gestured outward and bowed.

"V5R93, might I present Commander Senuna of XCOM."

"...Call me Verge." Was all he could muster.

.

.

Dhar-Mon had remained silent as they walked. Assassin was comfortable in silence by herself, but it always felt like Dhar-Mon was about to say something but stopping himself. The anticipation was killing her. She wished he would spit it out already.

He suddenly stopped, and she had to double back around to see him. "I have never thought about a future without the Elders." He admitted softly. "Before I met Malinalli, I was sure I was to claim this world as my kingdom. I would rule in their name, as I did from my stronghold, but even then I would not have to think. I would just know."

"And now we don't know." Kon-Mai nodded.

"What dreams do you have, Sister?" He asked her. "For our future?"

"Us." She said simply. "You, and me, and our brother." She sat down against a tree, looking up at the sky. "I imagine XCOM would still employ us for...however long we are needed. Perhaps I could teach the new recruits."

"Teach?" His face seemed to light up.

"Yes..." She cried, her eyes widening. "Dhar-Mon, you can teach psionics."

He straightened up, and for a moment she saw that arrogance her brother once held in his face. "Of course! They would be _honored _to learn from a true master such as myself. Why did I not think of that?" He looked down. "You are truly a genius, Sister."

"Perhaps you can begin with Gur-Rai." She giggled. "He certainly needs to practice the gift."

Dhar-Mon scoffed. "Gur-Rai has no appreciation for the gift. Not like me and you, Sister. I would much rather instruct you."

She felt herself blushing, and smirked. "Well then, Master Madron." She stood and dusted herself off. "Instruct me on the ways of a true warlock."

.

.

The Commander pulled up a chair beside the Sectoid. "How are you?"

Verge seemed to falter for a moment. "...Considering my recent encounter, I'd say I am doing fairly well. Though I am still full of holes." He sat up. "Commander, forgive me but I must know something. Colonel Zhang-"

"Yes, what about him?" Senuna giggled. "My, he's very popular among the aliens lately. How ironic."

"...Is he safe?"

"Yes." Senuna nodded. "Well...physically. Emotionally...that's another matter." She clapped and leaned forward. "But this meeting is not about Zhang, is it?"

Verge blinked as he met her gaze, and she laughed.

"Well, why else are you here?" She giggled. "You want to join XCOM, yes?"

"With all due respect, Madam." Verge said. "My main goal was to get away from the ADVENT troops chasing me with semi-automatics. I have never given thought to...joining your resistance."

"Oh, bullshit." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "Verge here has been feeding info to the resistance groups! Maybe even us, who knows~"

"Really? That's impressive." Senuna's eyes sparkled. "We could definitely use someone with a skill like that."

Verge seemed to go pale. "...Please don't send me back." He whispered. "They will kill me if they ever see me again…"

Gur-Rai reached out and put a comforting hand on Verge's arm. "Don't worry, no one will send you back. You're safe right here. Right, Commander?"

Senuna looked irritated for a moment, like this had just destroyed the brilliant plan she was thinking of. Then she sighed. "No. That's fine. You may stay." Her eyes were slightly harsher behind the smile. "In that case, we could also use a psionic soldier that isn't at the mercy of Geist's whims."

Verge nodded. "In that sense I can be of service. I have seen much combat in my day."

"And now you have the scars to prove it." Gur-Rai chuckled.

"I suppose Bradford will need to draw up yet another contract." Tygan chimed in, causing the three to startle. "Seems he's been doing that a lot lately."

"The more help we have, the better." Senuna stood. "And I certainly accept it, Verge." She held out her hand. "Welcome to XCOM."

Verge weakly took her hand, looking up at Gur-Rai in confusion. Gur-Rai just gave him a thumbs up.

.

.

The cascade of psionic power cut through the forest, toppling the smaller trees that could not withstand it's might. The boom it created echoed through the forest and shook the very ground, as though thunder had just rolled in. Kon-Mai's sword smoldered with purple sparks as the light died.

Dhar-Mon nodded. "That is a powerful ability."

Kon-Mai straightened up and twirled her sword in her hand, smiling proudly. "Thank you, Brother."

"But it is very imprecise." Dhar-Mon added.

Kon-Mai grimaced and sighed.

"I do not say this to belittle you." He insisted. "It seems very uncharacteristic of you, Kon-Mai, that your psionic ability only allows you to blanket an area in force."

"I have always known this technique." She protested. "Where else could I have learned it if it was not mine?"

He fell silent at that. She had a point. "If you are happy with it's effect, I will not press you further."

Kon-Mai looked down at her sword, then back up at her brother. "...What would you suggest, if I were to...perfect this?"

He stood behind her and lifted her sword arm, feeling how it sat in her grip. "...If you extend your arm like this, in this motion…" He made a slashing motion with her arm, pointing the tip forward. "Concentrate on the blade. Let your power flow through the metal. Then swing." He stepped back.

Kon-Mai closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and holding it. She pulled the blade sideways across her chest, then gently flicked it in front of her.

A bolt of purple lightning shot from the tip of her blade and struck a tree, cutting a hole right through the bark. The wood smoldered with purple sparks but surprisingly did not catch alight.

Kon-Mai gasped and looked down at her weapon. "It is like a gun…"

Behind her, Dhar-Mon smiled. "Indeed. No longer must you rely on close range."

"I am very inaccurate at long range." Kon-Mai pointed out. "My eye cannot perceive depth."

"It does not need to." He stepped in front of her. "Do it again. Aim at me."

Kon-Mai gasped. "No!"

"Yes." He nodded. "I will be fine."

"I will not shoot at you, Brother! Even if you can deflect it!"

"Did you not say that your aim is poor?" He raised a brow, a smile all too much like Gur-Rai's crossing his lips. "Perhaps you shall miss."

Kon-Mai still hesitated. Then she backed up even farther away, until she was a good hundred paces from him. She looked at him again and, even focusing her eyes as much as she could, his figure was slightly blurred. She pulled her sword to her chest, confident her attack would miss him.

She slashed across, and a purple bolt of lightning shot forward, missing the Hieromonk by an entire foot. Before she could yell to him, however, she saw it circle back around, as if drawn to his very form, coming straight at his back. He held up his arm, shattering the projectile into a thousand purple sparks as Kon-Mai screamed.

She sprinted back over to him as he looked at her in shock. "Sister, you did well, what's-"

"Are you injured?!" She shrieked, grabbing his arm.

"I am well." He assured her. "Sister, you did not hurt me."

"How did that happen?!" She cried. "It _missed _you!"

"It did." He smiled. " And yet the missile seeks it's target, and it shall find it unless stopped by another. You shall never miss, Sister. Not with this."

She pouted. "Well...that's certainly useful…" She smacked his arm gently. "But do not ever force me to shoot at you again, Brother!"

He chuckled. "I have rarely seen you so riled, Sister."

"You are becoming like Gur-Rai." She shook her head. "I am riled because you're my brother-"

"-and I am unharmed." He assured her. "Nothing shall become of me, Sister. Not by your hand."

She seemed to relax, just a bit, and he took her hands and looked them over again.

"Now…" He took her sword gently from her hands. "Try it again."

"I need my blade for that."

He listed her palms. "Try and imagine a weapon entirely of energy."

She looked at him skeptically. He stared back, waiting for her to comply, as if he had no doubt she would. Finally, she closed her eyes, her fingers twitching just a bit. He could see the energy was there, within her reach. A little nudge from him and-

She gasped, her eyes flying open, as in her palm materialized a handful of tiny purple blades, shaped like circles. "Shurikens."

Dhar-Mon looked at her with glowing pride. "Now throw one at me."

"We have been _over this_!"

"Sister." He almost whined. "You must practice this art, and I promise, I will be fine."

She shook her head. "You and our brother both…" She stepped back several paces and held the star between her fingers. This felt familiar as well, but again, she could not place the memory.

Kon-Mai tossed her star. Her aim, of course, was bad, but she watched with wonder and horror as the star circled past his head, spinning almost like a boomerang, and came around behind him toward the back of his skull. This time he barely turned in time to catch it in his arm, crying out.

She gasped, the rest of her psionic weapons disintegrating, and ran over again. "I warned you! Your arm-!"

"It's only a scratch." He said. "Sister, you look so…" He took her shoulders. "You are pale. Do you feel faint? Let us sit."

"I am faint because YOU insist on getting yourself injured!" She whimpered. _"I do not want to hurt you, Brother!"_

He paused at that, then smiled. "...Would you have said the same thing last year?"

"Do not jest with me!" She looked like she was on the edge of tears and he guided her to a nearby tree, where they sat. "The Elders fostered nothing but animosity between us, but I still loved you!"

His expression softened noticeably, and as she curled her knees to her chest, Kon-Mai felt Dhar-Mon wrap a strong arm around her. She leaned into his chest, letting herself melt for just a moment. Her muscles were so tense as she curled up into a ball against his chest, like a child against her father. The idea brought forth rising sadness and a sting of tears against her eyes. Dhar-Mon rubbed her back.

"I love you too, little sister." He said softly. "I always have."

"Did you?" She asked softly. "Even when the Elders were kind to me? Even when they scolded you? Even when you were angry?"

"I see now that I was angry at them." He said. "I was angry at them for their betrayal towards me. I hated them for far longer than I ever knew. But I could never hate you." He kissed her forehead. "From the moment you emerged from your tank, you were my little sister, and it was my duty to protect you."

She laughed, but it was more of a bark through tears. "Everyone says that. Gur-Rai said that, now you, and here I am juggling between protecting the both of you."

"You do so much for us." Dhar-Mon agreed. "It was a mantle you should never have had to take up."

"Oh please." She scoffed. "All I do for you and Gur-Rai, I do because I want to." She looked up at him. "To care for and guide you two makes me happy."

He raised a brow. "Does it, Sister? Why ever would that be?"

She felt a familiar pang in her heart, on top of the joy and warmth and safety that encircled her right now. And so, instead of answering, Kon-Mai buried her face in Dhar-Mon's shoulder and let the fragrant wind surrounding them lull her to sleep.

* * *

(Bit of a shorter chapter today! Again, I had another planned but it needed some padding. Enjoy some sibling cuteness in the meantime!)


	21. Everything in Time

Her feet dancing along with the shadows that haunted the corridor, the Shrinemaiden stepped out of her room and into the hall, examining her surroundings almost instinctively. She stood there for a moment, waiting for someone to come running out and tell her this next mission was a joke.

Not that she had a problem being assigned with Savitr. It simply felt like there was more going on, something the Commander wasn't telling her. She had that gleam in her eye, the one Kon-Mai learned to recognize. The one that meant Senuna was plotting something.

She heard footsteps around the corner and stood at attention, expecting to meet her team, but the only one who came to her was her comrade himself. While Savitr was a tall man, he still stood a full head shorter than her, even when he stopped with his back straight as he could stretch it, and bowed to her respectfully.

"_Mordenna_. It is an honor."

"Vallinor." She nodded. "I shall say the same, once I see how you perform in battle."

He seemed to deflate a bit at her cold tone, but maybe she had imagined that.

"Who else is joining us?" She asked.

"Two human soldiers." He said. "A Templar is one. Another is a Reaper."

Kon-Mai nodded but inside, she was sighing. So they were the only non-humans on this mission. This definitely was Senuna's doing.

"Very well. Let's join the others then." She brushed past him and he turned, keeping pace with her as they made their way to the garage.

The Templar was the first one they saw, a young man with deep earthy skin slipping on his helmet. He turned to them, eyeing the non-humans up and down suspiciously. "Oh." Was all he said to them.

"Oh, come on now, give them a break." The Reaper approached them, an older woman with grey hair and a rich tan. "Hi there, you're our crew? I'm Gili Hildred, Reaper Major."

"You seem to be much more forward than the other Reapers I have met." Kon-Mai bowed to her. "If I recall from my time observing your kind, you have no love for those of alien blood."

"Since Elena married that Skirmisher, a lot has changed around here." Gili chuckled. "Not that the Templars seem to get it." She looked over to their companion. "Hassan."

Hassan, the Templar, seemed to growl under his helmet.

"Hassan. Come on." Gili sighed. "That's Hassan Apoorva. He's an asshole but most Templars are."

"Cunt." Hassan grumbled at Gili.

"See?" Gili crossed her arms. "I rest my case."

"What is the subject of our mission?" Kon-Mai asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Oh, that." Gili chuckled. "Volk just tells me to go somewhere and kill someone. I do it."

"A Haven was recently wiped out in Georgia." Hassan mumbled. "The COUNTRY, not the state. We're going down to look for any survivors, and to investigate."

"Investigate what? If it was ADVENT?" Gili chuckled. "I think that's pretty obvious."

"No. Investigate what kind of tools they wiped it out WITH." Hassan said. "If they somehow got hold of nuclear bombs, we need to know about it."

"He has a point." Savitr nodded. "When shall we depart?"

"When Hassan gets his fuckin' suit on." Gili giggled.

"You are an old bitch." Hassan chirped. This time, Kon-Mai couldn't help but notice Hassan's soft tone as he said it.

.

.

When Firebrand dropped them off, the first thing the Shrinemaiden noticed was the lingering smell of smoke.

The nearby ADVENT city center was visible from the hill they stood upon, the rolling fields of green being the only thing standing between them and the Haven. She could sense the air around her, and could still hear the dying screams of the murdered echoing on the wind. It chilled her.

"Where is the settlement?" Kon-Mai asked.

"Over here." Gili pointed behind them. "Down this ravine and over one of them cliffs."

"They are far too close…" Savitr mumbled. "Why did they not make camp farther away?"

"Perhaps they thought themselves well hidden." Kon-Mai mused.

"One is always well hidden." Savitr sighed. "Until they are found."

"I can turn invisible." Kon-Mai assured him.

"You can." He almost smiled at her. "I doubt the humans could, though."

They made their way through the grass, the sky above them cloudy and grey with smoke. The burning smell grew stronger as they grew closer. Kon-Mai listened, directing almost all of her attention to the sounds around her, or lack thereof.

Then she got down low to the ground as they began to cross the ridge. "Hide." She hissed.

"Why?" Hassan asked.

"I hear…" She listened carefully. Over the ridge, it almost sounded as though someone was squirting water from a hose over a closed window. Under that was the sound of conversation, and Etheric words. "Troops."

"We can take a few Troopers." Gili chuckled.

Savitr said as he knelt down beside the Chosen woman. "How many do you suppose there are?"

She hesitated, closing her eyes to block out other, distracting stimuli. "...An undesirable number. I would say five at least, though I suspect there are more."

"What's that weird noise?" Hassan muttered as he crouched. "It sounds like a hose…"

Kon-Mai grit her teeth. "I know not, and I doubt we shall fully know until we can get closer."

"Do you need a distraction?" Savitr asked.

"Unnecessary." She smiled. "Please, stay here and do not move."

"What if we have a clear shot?" Gili giggled as she saw Kon-Mai bare her teeth. "I'm kidding! We'll stay put."

"Hurry up." Hassan muttered. "I don't wanna spend all day hiding in the grass like a rabbit."

Kon-Mai gave him a dirty look as she slipped into invisibility, her psionic cloak washing over her body and rendering her unseen. She took off into the smoke and began jogging down the hill towards the town, and the first thing that hit her was the smell.

She knew the stench of death all too well. And now it mixed with the scent of fire and ash. And as the many stimuli wafted together in the air, her blood ran cold.

Kon-Mai crouched again as she came up behind one of the tiny cottages. She crawled around the side, peeking out and holding her breath, determined to not make a sound. But when she saw the remains of the village, she could not help but gasp.

At least five or six Purifiers stood there, clad in their orange armor, waving their hoses of fire over dried grass and fallen tents. She'd been right in her count at least; a good five of them worked in the center, and others were emerging from cloaks of flame. In the center was a wooden pyre they had fashioned from old logs and the remnants of homes.. Every so often, one would toss something onto the coals. Another log? No, it was limp. _A body_.

Kon-Mai ducked back down again and went around the other side towards a tall building near the north side. This one seemed to have been left intact, so far. Maybe they hadn't gotten to this one yet? The lights inside were out, so she could hide in it, at least.

She took a running start and jumped, grabbing hold of the second story window frame. A bit of broken glass dug into her palm, but she shook it out and pulled herself inside. Upon scanning the room and seeing no one there, she let her cloak flake away in purple shards, and began her search.

The room seemed to belong to a couple: a soft, fluffy double bed rested in the center of the floor, downy sheets covering the mattress. Silk curtains hung beside the window she'd climbed through, and a simple but elegant dressing bureau sat against the wall. Kon-Mai looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled, flicking one of her braids back over her shoulder.

There was a loud _SMASH_. Her cloak came back on and Kon-Mai dove behind the cover of the bed, her hand on her sword. She waited a moment, hearing the definite rustling of movement. Someone was in here with her.

Then there was a soft, tiny cry, like the coo of a dove. She peeked around the corner, and her eyes fell on the sliding door of the closet. Another rustle, and a small squeak echoed from inside.

Kon-Mai slowly crept out from her hiding spot, her hand still on her sword but her grip loose. Slowly, her cloak fell away again, and the sound of movement stopped as she drew closer and closer to the door of the closet.

She reached out, holding her breath, and lingered there for a moment. Then she threw the door open.

The little girl inside the closet let out a scream so loud it could wake the dead, and Kon-Mai jumped back on instinct before she dropped her sword and held out her hands. "Hush! Hush child! I am not here to hurt you!"

The child was sobbing hysterically, but her tears were quiet and fearful. She shook like a little leaf, her once pretty white dress now smudged and blackened with soot. Her wispy, fair hair hung around her face, falling messily from a little bun that had once been tied so neatly. She did not move a muscle as Kon-Mai knelt down, pushing her sword away.

"I will not hurt you." She said softly. "...Do you speak English, little one?"

The little girl held up her thumb and forefinger. "...Little."

"That is very good for someone so young." Kon-Mai smiled, keeping her mouth closed so as not to scare the child with her teeth. "What is your name?"

The little girl seemed to think for a minute, either about the words, or about whether or not she could give Kon-Mai her name in trust. "...Tsiuri."

"That is beautiful." Kon-Mai said. "A very pretty name."

Tsiuri seemed to nod in thanks.

"Where are your parents?" Kon-Mai asked then.

The child blinked, her eyebrows furrowing at the words.

Kon-Mai pointed to the large bed. "Where is mother? Where's Mama?"

Tsiuri's eyes only grew wider, and tears began to form as she started to sob.

"Oh, no no." Kon-Mai scooted forward. "Hush now, it's oka-"

The little girl threw her arms around Kon-Mai's neck and practically leapt into her arms. Kon-Mai reciprocated the hug, if only to keep Tsiuri from knocking her over.

"Tsudi khalkhi mat ts'aiq'vana!" Tsiuri weapt. Kon-Mai didn't understand the words, but from the intensity of her voice, she felt as though she knew what happened. No doubt the poor child's parents were now kindling on that fire outside.

"Shhhhhh…" Kon-Mai sat cross-legged on the ground with Tsiuri, bouncing her gently as she held her. She barely knew what to say, for both the language barrier and the situation at hand, but the child seemed content to simply be held for now. She just kept blowing quiet shushes next to the girl's ear, and in the midst of her weeping, it seemed to calm her.

_"Yo Konnie. Report."_ Gili said over her comm. _"You still alive?"_

"I am." She said quietly. "I have found a survivor. A child, her name is Tsiuri."

_"One is better than none!"_ Gili said happily. _"You ever find what's causing the fire?"_

"Purifiers are causing the fire." Kon-Mai growled.

_"That's it?"_

"What do you mean that's it? There are at least seven, maybe more!"

_"I mean I expected there to be-"_ She broke off as the ground gave a shake. _"...The fuck was that?"_

Tsiuri let out a scream into Kon-Mai's shoulder. "Uk'an! Monst'ri dabrunda!"

"What's wrong, sweet one?" Kon-Mai hugged the little girl closer to her chest.

_"She says the monster's coming back."_ Gili hissed. _"Konnie, get out of there!"_

"What monster?" Kon-Mai asked, gently shaking the child. "What's coming?"

A roar from below shook the entire house. The roar of a Berserker.

.

.

_"My diamond's clouded over where it used to shine like light,  
And the day keeps running faster into the arms of night...  
Stitches on the tapestry say, "Everything in time,  
Will find its way home again,"  
But I'm tired of crying..."_

Dhar-Mon rested his head in his hand and his elbow on the tiny table. The booth he sat in was slightly too small for him, but it was better than those bar stools that would no doubt give under his weight. The crowd today was small, but a group had still gathered to the sound of the Commander singing. It wasn't exactly unusual: from what he heard she sang every weekend. And when she did, the soldiers flocked to her.

Senuna wore her hair up in a ponytail today, a bit like the way Jane styled hers. Instead of her uniform, she had "dressed" a ratty pink t-shirt that was full of moth-chewed holes, and some very old-looking blue jeans. She was also barefoot, to the chagrin of Bryni as she made extra sure that no one broke any glass on the floor.

"Hi Stranger." He heard a familiar voice say, and Malinalli sat down in a chair across from him. She, too, had her hair in a ponytail, but the weight of her locks kept it down by her neck.

"Malinalli, you know me. I am no stranger." Dhar-Mon said, looking genuinely worried.

"Oh, no, it's a figure of speech." Malinalli giggled. "Sorry."

He harumphed and looked away, his blue skin turning purple. "It is alright…"

"Didn't expect to see you in the bar, is what I meant. Come to watch the Commander, huh?" She turned around and looked at the Commander. "She looks like she's having fun up there."

_"No Second Chances  
Don't knock on my door  
There won't be any answer  
I won't be here no more…"_

The Commander had a smile on her face, but her voice dripped with a deep, profound sadness. Dhar-Mon saw a familiar look in her eyes as she met his gaze, only briefly.

"Yes…" He said softly. "Malinalli, how much do you know about the Commander?"

Malinalli seemed to almost freeze at the question. "...Um…" She turned back. "It's kind of embarrassing but...not a lot."

"That is not embarrassing. I did not know much about those I reported to in ADVENT."

"I know, that's why it's embarrassing…" She tucked a strand of curly black hair behind her ear. "Humans are supposed to be…" She trailed off.

"Be what?"

"More...social. ADVENT is the one who locks all that information away, not us." She looked back over her shoulder. "But I don't even know the Commander's last name."

Dhar-Mon nodded. Most humans here went by their last name if they didn't have a callsign. "Perhaps she has no surname."

"Maybe…" Malinalli sighed and leaned on her palm, copying Dhar-Mon. "Why do you ask?"

He hesitated. Should he tell her what he'd heard on the radio? That Senuna had apparently been a singer renowned throughout the land? Or perhaps she already knew. "Her...singing is very…" What was the word? "Arousing."

Malinalli gave him a weird look, and he immediately stammered.

"Nonono that is not correct. I meant...I am not-!"

"I assume you mean inspiring?" Malinalli giggled, her smile reaching her eyes.

"Yes. That." He covered his face. "I am sorry, Malinalli."

She reached over and grabbed his hand. "It's fine. It was kind of hilarious~" She chuckled. "And you're right. Her voice is...angelic." She sighed wistfully. "It's so...warm and familiar. Like when your mom sings you a lullaby."

Dhar-Mon put his hand back on the table. "...I would not know that feeling." He admitted. "I do not remember my mother...my _human _mother, that is."

"...That makes two of us then." She smiled sadly.

He looked up sadly. "I am sorry."

"No, don't be. I'm not the only orphan on board by any means."

"...Do you know what happened to them?"

She shook her head. "I assume it was ADVENT…like most people here." She sighed, running one finger along the wrinkles on his hand. "All I know was Dad was from Mexico, and Mom was some kind of European."

"I am so sorry." He said softly. "You...have no memories of them? At all?"

She pondered this for a minute. "...I remember my mom singing to me, and...when she leaned close, her hair would tickle my face. I liked that…" She stared at the table, seemingly lost. "Dad had a beard, his skin was dark and he smelled like fresh water…" She looked up. "And Donají said I must have my mother's eyes, because she's never seen a girl as dark as me with eyes this bright."

"Donají?"

"The midwife for our tribe." Malinalli replied. "She was the one who raised me, after my parents…" She shook her head. "After they disappeared, I suppose."

"I see." Dhar-Mon smiled. "She sounds like a kind woman."

"She was." Malinalli looked back over at the Commander. "She died, too."

"...ADVENT?"

"Yep." Malinalli grumbled. "Sorry, I-"

"Do not apologize, little phantom." He scoffed. "This is ADVENT's fault, not yours."

She looked back at him, her eyes wide, and at first Dhar-Mon thought he'd said something wrong.

_"This house we had together  
Might still be in its place  
But the rest of this is much too hard to face…"_

Then she smiled. "...Thank you."

"For what?"

"For saying that." She whispered. "I've always known it's true but...hearing someone else say it…" She nodded. "It feels validating."

"I speak only the truth." He chuckled.

_"There'll be No Second Chance…"_ Senuna held that last note just a tad too long, and her voice broke.

.

.

With the child in her arms, the Shrinemaiden leapt from the window and onto the ground. Her breath in her throat and Tsiuri's face pressed into her shoulder, Kon-Mai stood, pressing her back against the wall of the house, and closed her eyes, listening.

She did not have to listen long. A whole slew of noises hit her at once. The scream of Hassan as he charged down the hill, the shots from a Reaper's rifle, a Berserker roaring. Tsiuri held onto her tighter, whimpering softly. "Deda...deda…"

"Hush, little one." Kon-Mai absently stroked aside the child's hair. "No harm shall come to you." She pressed her comm. "Savitr. Are you there?"

_"Mordenna, we have been drawn out!"_ He said, his voice tight and strained. _"Where are you?"_

"Behind the house. I have Tsiuri with me and cannot bring her into combat. I must get her to safety."

_"I will distract the troops."_ He said. _"That will give you time to get her to safety."_

"Where can she go?"

Savitr was silent for a moment. _"Behind the ridge, on the right, there is a ravine. At the bottom, a cave. It's small but it will be big enough for a child to hide within."_

Kon-Mai sighed in relief. "Thank you. I will join you soon."

_"We will hold them until you do."_

Kon-Mai pulled Tsiuri away from her shoulder and looked her in the eye. "I am here." She whispered, not certain if the child would understand. "I will always protect you."

The little one nodded, and instinctively, Kon-Mai pressed her lips to the top of her head. The action had her cold heart melting; something in her burned with the heat of deep anger, and yet happiness. She pressed Tsiuri tighter into her grasp and ran.

The Purifiers saw her, pointing her out and shouting in Etheric. The Berserker's roar shook the ground. Kon-Mai was faster than them all, though, and she weaved in between the buildings and sparse trees until she saw the ravine and launched herself over the side. Sliding down the gravel on her boots, She came to a stop and crouched down.

The cave was small, like Savitr said: only big enough for a child. She began to let Tsiuri down but the girl hung onto her neck, whispering "Ara. Ara. Ara. u mimat'oveb. Deda, nu mimat'oveb!"

Kon-Mai could sense the desperation in her voice, and hung onto her for a moment more. "Child, you must go. I cannot fight and hold you all at once."

"'r gamishva!" Tsiuri grasped Kon-Mai's long, white braid, and one hand brushed her cheek. A deep, primal sadness welled up in the Chosen woman and she pulled the girl closer, as though she were her own.

"I will protect you." She whispered. "But you must hide. Save yourself, child. I would rather it be me that dies."

It took a moment, but Tsiuri's grip loosened, and she crawled into the darkness of the hole. Her big brown eyes stared out at Kon-Mai.

"'r mok'vde." Tsiuri said with power in her tiny voice.

Kon-Mai stood up, bowed to her, and leapt out of the ravine, sword in hand.

.

.

_"Well, I'll be damned_  
_Here comes your ghost again_  
_But that's not unusual_  
_It's just that the moon is full_  
_And you happened to call…"_

The Commander switched to another song; a slower one this time that had the soldiers getting into pairs, swaying with each other. Malinalli looked up, about to speak before she glanced slightly behind Dhar-Mon. "Oh…"

"What is it?" He asked.

"Um…" She put her hand up in a meek wave.. "...Vicky's here. She doesn't usually come out on weekends…"

He turned. There she stood, messy brown hair up in Micky-Mouse buns, big brown eyes red from crying, pale skin washed out by the light, he couldn't help but growl at the sight of her, and that was when she turned and noticed him.

"What's wrong?" Malinalli asked.

"It was her who joined us on the mission to rescue Zhang." He said.

"Yeah, I know." She put her hand down. "Her mentor Shamil died there."

"Not just he. We _all _nearly died there." He hissed. "She was tasked to attend to Colonel Zhang while we fought. Instead, she fascinated herself with Shamil's corpse."

Malinalli blinked, her dark skin going almost grey. "...Oh…"

"Yes. And worse still, Malinalli, she insulted my siblings." He looked at the table. "Insisting that I would...leave them to die. That my love for them means nothing! They mean everything to me, Molly!"

"I know." She reached out, and her touch calmed him in a way nothing else could. "Want me to distract her while you make an escape?" Malinalli asked.

"...No." He shook his head. "Let her not spoil the event."

"What if she wants to talk to you?" She asked. "Or me?"

"Did the Commander not eliminate her from the roster?" He chuckled. "She will not be a thorn in our side for long."

Malinalli was silent, looking down at the table. With her nail, she picked at a piece of the wood. "Well…"

"Well what?" He asked.

"I uh…" She swallowed. "I kinda...I went to the Commander about that."

"Oh?" He asked allusively. He was waiting for her to finish the thought before he spoke.

"I thought her termination was...unfair." She said. "So I…"

"Malinalli." He sighed. "She is leaving?"

"No…" She looked up. "I'm sorry, Dhar-Mon. I didn't realize what she did on the mission."

Dhar-Mon growled, his teeth bared but his gaze distinctively away from her.

"I'm sorry." She said again. "I had no idea."

He wanted to be mad at her. He really, really did. But when she let go of his hand, he reached for hers again.

"Why?" Was all he asked.

She seemed to seize up. "...Because I found her crying..." She whispered. "And...I want to believe she was sorry."

"Do you feel good about your decision?" Was what he asked her next.

_"Ten years ago_  
_I bought you some cufflinks_  
_Oh and you brought me...something_  
_We both know what memories can bring..._  
_They bring diamonds and rust."_

"...I did." She said, sitting up. "I did at the time, that is."

"No longer?" He raised a brow.

"Look it's...I don't want to put the idea in people's heads that they can abuse you and the others." She ran her hand through her thick hair, pulling out her hair tie. "But, if the Chosen can change, why can't a human? Vicky's a cunt but...I feel like she needs another chance."

Slowly, Dhar-Mon rose from the booth. "Let us test this. I shall confront her, and we shall see if she truly does deserve another opportunity."

"You'll do _what_?" She looked shocked.

He leaned on the table. "My siblings were hurt by the girl. I know you meant no harm, Malinalli, and you have a kind heart. But if she remains here, boundaries must be established."

"...Okay." She let go of him. "Just...don't let it take over you."

"It is too late for that." He muttered as he walked to the door. Vicky stood there, her knees shaking as he got closer.

Finally they stood face to face, Dhar-Mon bearing his sharp teeth as he stared down at the girl that was less than half his height.

"What do you want?" He spat.

He could see the tears welling up in her eyes. Behind him, Senuna's voice carried on the metal walls.

_"Now I see you standing  
With leaves falling around  
And snow in your hair  
Now you're smiling out the window of that hotel  
Over Washington Square  
Our breath comes out white clouds  
Mingles and hangs in the air  
Speaking strictly for me  
We both could have died then and there…"_

"I want to apologize." She whispered, her voice so, so soft. He could barely hear it, and somehow it made him angrier.

"Speak up!" He demanded.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered, trying to raise her voice. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for what I said to you, what I DID to you. I utterly failed, and you picked up the pieces of my mess…"

"You are right. You failed." He crossed his arms. "You left a man to DIE."

She flinched. "I know…"

"But worse still, what you did insinuate…" He spat. "That I do not love my brother and sister, THAT is SLANDER. At best!"

Vicky looked slightly shocked at this, but her gaze quickly returned to the floor.

"My siblings are all I have." He said. "They are my blood. My kin. My family. Since leaving the Elders, I have been adrift, and I would have floundered if not for them. I awoke to them beside me. If asked, I would brave the depths of the Void for them." He leaned down close to her. "I believe it is YOU who does not understand how to love, Victoria."

She shook her head. "I loved Shammy…"

He stopped, blinking.

"Shammy was everything to me." She wiped a tear away. "Shammy raised me." She looked up. "My attitude got him killed, and I'm so sorry it almost killed you. I'm so sorry I ever suggested you didn't love them…" She stopped to cough. "I'd just never...lost someone like that before…"

Dhar-Mon's expression softened. "This is a _war_, Victoria."

"I know." Her voice was quiet, filled with resignation. In a way, he knew her pain. His siblings had "died" once before, as well. The empty sadness he felt had only been bearable because of his faith in the Elders. Vicky did not have that.

Senuna's voice cut through his trance again.

_"Now you're telling me  
You're not nostalgic  
Oh, then give me another word for it  
You were always so good with words  
And at keeping things vague."_

He thought back to his stronghold. To the people in the City Center. To the town of Guardia, and the hundreds of bodies still rotting there, because of his own priests. Because he led them there.

Vicky sniveled before him, and as she looked up, he saw just a hint of that blue child who would prostrate himself before demons to win their favor.

He had made mistakes, too.

He sighed. "I...accept your apology."

For the first time, he saw her genuinely smile up at him. "Really?"

He sighed. "Yes. But, you must earn back the trust we once placed in you."

Vicky nodded. "I'll do anything you need me to. I mean, I'm just a squaddie now so I guess I can't do much anymore but...anything in my power!"

"Here is something in your power." He smirked. "You are not holier than us. Stop acting as though you are."

She chuckled a bit. "Yeah I...I was a bitch, wasn't I?"

"In my mind, you still are." He insisted. "Prove to me otherwise."

She straightened up and saluted him. "I will, sir!"

"Good." He couldn't help but chuckle. "I was like you once, Victoria, and it almost destroyed me. Do not fall victim to such temptations again." He leaned toward her. "And never, _ever _insult my siblings. We can be your friends, but betray us like that again, and we shall be your most dangerous enemy."

Vicky looked puzzled at that last part. "...Friends…?"

He blinked and pulled away. "Yes. You do have friends, child. Don't you?"

She stared forward for a moment. "...Not really."

He furrowed his brow. "Who did you converse with outside of missions? Did you not have anyone to share your space with?"

"I'd go talk with Shammy in the lab." She said. "I'd keep going even now but...they won't let me back in. They said I'm not welcome now that he's gone."

Dhar-Mon let his arms drop. "Oh. You pathetic excuse for a human."

"Yeah." She squeaked. "I know." She looked back at Malinalli, who smiled at them worriedly.

Dhar-Mon sighed. "...Malinalli." He called softly. He nodded towards Vicky and raised an eyebrow. With that action, her face lit up into a smile.

_"'Cause I need some of that vagueness now  
It's all coming back too clearly  
Oh I loved you dearly  
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust  
I've already paid!"_

.

.

The Berserker let out a roar that shook the trees. If anyone had been alive to hear it, it would have killed them where they stood. As it was, Hassan and Gili seemed to be barely standing their ground.

Thankfully the two hybrids were used to this sort of thing.

Kon-Mai, katana in her hand, charged forward into the mass of Purifiers standing between her and the beast, and was promptly blasted in the face with a stream of fire. She blocked her face with her sleeve but the heat still singed her hair and burned her skin, and she hissed.

She heard Savitr scream her name, but as she tried to stand, another outpouring of fire caught her unprepared, and she fell back to the ground. She protected her face, but her hand suffered greatly and she felt the white hot pain of a burn stretch up the length of her left arm. At least it wasn't her sword arm.

Hassan let out a bellow and rushed forward into the fray, his purple swords glimmering in the fading light. The Purifiers turned their flames on him, and the Berserker rose up behind them and let out a roar. As it slammed it's fists into the ground again, Kon-Mai bit her jacket and dug her fingers into the ground, pulling herself away.

Hassan sprinted past the soldiers in front, all the way to the back, and let out a scream as he leapt through the air, honing in on one unlucky Purifier. "STAND BAAAACK!"

Kon-Mai covered her head, just as Hassan sliced through one of the Purifiers, his Templar blade sparking in the light of the flame. A surge of heat wafted over them, and then the fire exploded upward and outward, causing a chain reaction. Three more Purifiers burst into an explosion of flame, and the Berserker let out a scream as it caught fire as well.

Kon-Mai was not fooled, however. This would not hurt the Berserker as much as it would just anger it. And by the sound of it, it was very angry.

She jumped to her feet and watched as the Berserker swatted the Purifiers to the side. Hassan's charred body flew a few feet and landed in the burning grass, his eyes locked open in a blank stare. Kon-Mai drew her sword, her right arm still good, and took up a stance against the Berserker. The beast met her eyes, huffed, and charged at her.

Sword in hand, Kon-Mai rushed forward. She slid under the Berserker's heavy fist and stabbed upward. Her sword slammed into the hard plating under the jawline, cracking the bone plating and bringing the beast crashing forward, almost crushing her underneath. She rolled out from under the Berserker as it screeched in pain, and once again nearly demolished Kon-Mai with another strike to the ground.

The dirt shook, and Kon-Mai tried to get to her feet but slipped again, landing on her bad hand and screaming in pain. She scooted away, and immediately saw a flame coming at her from the left and rolled away again. The surviving Purifiers were on their feet again and coming in, surrounding her.

Perhaps her poor angle contributed, but there was no escape here she could see. She jumped to her feet and began to run in a random direction, knowing it was cowardly but just needing to get away. Another jet of flame, and this time the ground at her feet caught alight and she stumbled into the wall of a timber house. Shaking, she bared her teeth in a snarl.

The Berserker, jaw still shattered and dragging in the dirt, let out a screech and went to charge again, not caring of the Purifiers in it's way. Kon-Mai took a breath and closed her eyes.

Then a flash of purple cut across the darkness. Screams of Etheric filled the air as the Purifiers flew off to the side, opening up her escape. Kon-Mai took the moment and dashed to the right, and there she saw him.

There was Savitr, with his hands outstretched, psionic energy flowing from his fingers as he glared up at the Berserker before him. It turned, roaring at him, and he dove to the side as it's huge mitt swiped at him. Rolling to one side, he held up a hand, a bubble of purple suddenly encasing him.

"Stasis…" Kon-Mai whispered. "A priest…"

The beast was not done, and while it had been slowed, it was not deterred. This time, though, Kon-Mai was ready once again. She held up her hand, closing her eyes and calling forth her own psionic power. A large, purple star the size of her hand landed, spinning, in her palm. She raised her arm and, barely aiming, threw it.

Just as Savitr emerged from his stasis, the purple star flew over his head, wrapped around, and stuck the Berserker in the side of the head. It stumbled and roared as it staggered backward, and Savitr turned to the woman it had come from.

"_Mordenna_!" He called to her. He raised his arm, a purple glimmer on his wrist.

Kon-Mai nodded, kneeling in a running stance just as the creature ripped the shuriken from it's head, the weapon fading in a shower of purple sparkles.

As Kon-Mai dashed forward, Savitr knelt into a crouch and held up his arm over his head. Upon his forearm, a beautifully decaled shield bloomed like a flower. She took a small leap into the air, landing on his shield, and with all his strength, he hoisted her into the air.

She flew, landing on the Berserker, digging her sword into the tense muscles on it's back and slicing open what armor was left intact. Her sword cut deep as she slid down it's body and landed in a crouch, the creature turning on her once again, covered in rage and blood.

It was now or never, but her legs had locked in exhaustion and pain, and she watched the fleshy beast prepare to bring her down

A shot from the ravine echoed through the valley, silencing all who heard it. The beast froze, it's muscles tensing, and then it slowly fell backward, Savitr scrambling away to avoid it.

Kon-Mai stared down at the beast's broken body, only just awake and ready to kill her. Footsteps coming up behind her caused her to look, only to see Gili come sprinting down the ravine towards them. "Konnie, thank GOD! Are you ok? Yeah you are, you're fine. Hassan! Where's Hassan?!" She called.

Kon-Mai let out a sigh of sorrow. "He is…"

Gili's face fell, and she nearly buckled beside Kon-Mai. A hand to her face, she let out a quiet sob, so quickly you could have missed it in a blink. But as soon as it started, she straightened up and took a breath. "I'm going to get the body. Savitr, patch up Konnie's hand. I think she burned it."

Kon-Mai watched Gili slowly wade off into the sea of bodies, finally stopping where Hassan lay and falling on her knees beside him.

The Shrinemaiden pried her eyes away, and turned to look at Savitr as he crouched beside her. He was purposefully avoiding her gaze, but as he finally looked up, she smiled.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"For what?" He asked softly.

She smiled knowingly.

.

.

_"And the winds will cry, and many men will die,_  
_And all the waves will bow down…_  
_To the Loreley!"_

Senuna took a deep bow as her set finished, and Dhar-Mon clapped loudly, his giant hands generating the most noise of all the crowd. It still amazed him how well she sang, how godly her voice was, and he figured perhaps it was not so odd she used to be a singer. By the sparkle in her eyes, it certainly brought her joy.

He heard footsteps behind him, and looked up to see Gur-Rai was also matching his clapping with his own. "Wonderful, wonderful. What are we cheering for?"

"Commander Senuna." Dhar-Mon sighed. "What do you need, Gur-Rai?"

"What, I can't drop in to say hello?" He winked at Malinalli, who rolled her eyes.

"Nice try, Abe Sapien." She stuck her tongue out. "Go play with the other girls."

"Maybe I will." He scoffed. "At least they appreciate all _this_~" He ran a hand down his chest.

Malinalli chuckled. "What brings you here? Want a drink?"

"Only if you're buying."

"They don't cost…" She sighed. "Whatever. Dhar-Mon, will you save my seat?"

"Of course." He pulled her vacant chair closer to him as she got up and went to the bar. That didn't stop Gur-Rai from leaning on the back of said chair, though.

"Why are you here, Brother?" Dhar-Mon asked. "You have...that look."

"This is not a look. This is just my beautiful face~" Gur-Rai chuckled. "But actually, I am waiting to speak to Senuna."

"Oh? About what?"

"About our resident Sectoid." He winked. "And his first mission~"

Dhar-Mon pretended not to look interested, but he was poor at hiding such things. "And...what IS his first mission."

"A simple scouting call." He sat on the edge of the small table. "A small distress signal blinks from the darkness of the Kakamega forest in Kenya. The beacon was quite _alien looking_."

His brother smiled as Dhar-Mon now turned his full attention to him. "A ship? One of the Elders fleet?"

"Possibly." Gur-Rai nodded. "It seems we may have caused an exodus, Brother."

Dhar-Mon scoffed. "The Elders' grip on the mind is unrelenting...it takes much to overcome it."

"Well you did." Gur-Rai patted his back. "You're an inspiration, my dear brother."

"I am no such thing."

"Don't be that way." Gur-Rai kissed the top of Dhar-Mon's head and grabbed the drink out of Malinalli's hand as she returned. "Well I'm off to see the wizard. Catch you kids later~"

Malinalli started after him as he sauntered right up to the stage. "Why is he…?"

"Like that?"

"Yeah."

Dhar-Mon chuckled. "He's a special one."

.

.

The garage was a scary place. Kon-Mai had wanted to take Tsiuri into her arms as soon as they had returned to the Avenger, but Bradford had intercepted her. She had only half listened to his praise for her as she searched amidst the crowed, and by the time she finally got away, Tsiuri was gone. In her moment of deep, panicked disappointment, she felt a presence behind her.

She turned. "Savitr." She said, swallowing her sadness.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his yellow eyes worried.

"Aside from the burn on my hand, I am quite fine." She took a breath and smiled.

"But you're crying."

"...I am not." She whispered, her hand moving to her cheek. Sure enough it was wet, and the water felt salty. She took a deep, shaky breath. "My eyes hurt from the smoke. They are...sensitive."

"Was the battle quite stressful? I often get scared-"

"No." She snapped. "I'm sorry I...I'm distracted." She pressed a finger to her temple. "It was a tremendous battle, was it not? You were quite formidable."

Savitr almost seemed to blush. "What I did was nothing, _Morde-_"

"Kon-Mai." She snapped. "Call me Kon-Mai."

He looked frightened for a moment, but seemed to realize her intentions. "...Kon-Mai, what I did was nothing compared to you."

Kon-Mai met his eyes, hers full of surprise. "I would beg to disagree." Her voice dropped low as she leaned close. "I did not know you were a priest."

He didn't pull away from her. "It is not a past I am proud of." He admitted.

"Why ever not?"

"Are you proud of the things you did in the name of the Elders?" He asked, his yellow eyes meeting her magenta ones. "No, you would not have left if you were."

"And yet you use your power." She crossed her arms. "I suppose it is a serviceable tool."

Savitr did not respond. Instead he just studied her face, almost as though he were examining an ancient sculpture. "I have kept very little from that time. Only my powers. And this." He patted his chest.

"Yes. A strong heart is needed to survive on the battlefield."

"That's a wonderful sentiment." He chuckled. "But it is not my heart." From under a flap on his armor, he drew back the cloth and undid something shining in the low garage light. He handed it to her. "Please, be careful with it."

Kon-Mai took it from his hand carefully. It was smaller than her palm: a gold pin in the shape of a disk, with many points rising from it. The disk in the middle had a smiling face etched into it.

"...It's the sun."

"Yes." Savitr nodded. "I obtained this broach from an old man in Suriname; a homeless preacher who was lamenting the death of his only daughter...at the hands of blue men."

Kon-Mai met his eyes. "I assume he did not give it to you."

Savitr, once again, lowered his gaze. "No. It was all that survived of his body." He said. "But his words, his voice, stuck with me. And his words." He closed his eyes. _"Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, tát savitr váreṇyaṃ, bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt."_ He spoke almost as though he was in a trance, and though she had never heard it, it sounded familiar.

"It is a mantra?"

"The Gayatri Mantra. A dedication to the sun." Savitr smiled. "And so, when I broke free, when I escaped...I knew my name."

Kon-Mai ran her thumb over the pin once again, the smiling face of the sun staring back at her.

"...Do you know what happened to the child?" She asked. "Tsiuri? I wanted to…" She wasn't sure what she wanted to do, exactly.

"She went with Gili." He said. "Gili is taking her to the Reapers. She speaks Georgian, she'd be a good mother to the girl."

Kon-Mai felt her heart drop, and her whole body felt like lead. "...And the child...went willingly…?"

Savitr nodded. "She was very overwhelmed. I'm sure she would have loved to say goodbye first had she known." He smiled. "She seemed quite fond of you."

"I had hoped she was." She handed the pin back to him, her fingers lingering on his for just a moment longer than normal. For her at least.

* * *

(I was running into a dilemma where some of the chapters that were very important story-wise were also ones that people might have trouble with due to their content. I've decided that I'm gonna include a summary of the chapter at the end, at least on all the chapters with content warnings, but maybe on all chapters regardless. Let me know what you think of this system!

The chapter begins with Kon-Mai and Savitr meeting for their mission together, that Senuna seemed to set up. They meet Gili the Reaper and Hassan the Templar, and make their way to a Haven in Georgia that was destroyed by Purifiers. Kon-Mai meets a human child, Tsiuri, and rescues her, forming a bond with the child before hiding her away so Kon-Mai can fight the ADVENT threat. Hassan is killed after meleeing a Purifier in an act of self-sacrifice, and in defending Kon-Mai from a raging Berserker, Savitr is revealed to have been a priest. On the Avenger, Senuna performs for the soldiers while Malinalli and Dhar-Mon discuss the past. Malinalli mentions the village she grew up in, and how her parents disappeared. Halfway through the set, the disgraced medic Vicky shows up. Dhar-Mon goes to confront her, and she apologizes for her deplorable behavior. It's an apology he tentatively accepts.

The songs used in this chapter were _Loreley_ and _No Second Chance_ by Blackmore's Night, and _Diamonds and Rust_ by Joan Baez.)


	22. The Children and The Forest

"A distress signal?"

Jane and Bradford looked over the Commander's shoulder at the data pad in her hands. Zhang sat on the couch across from them, staring at them; He was still leaning a bit on his cane. "Are you planning to bring home more aliens, Sunny?"

"Dunno." Senuna said, pressing the off button and laying the data pad on her desk. "Depends on if they want to come aboard or not...or if they're even aliens."

Zhang raised a brow. "Could they be human?"

"The distress signal was weird. It came from a UFO but…" Jane shifted on one leg. "It's different somehow. The commands are coming through in English. Regular ADVENT ships only use Etheric."

"So there must be English speakers on board." Senuna said. "Which means humans."

"Possibly humans." Bradford clarified. "The aliens on board could be using English to disguise their commands. Make it harder for ADVENT to find them."

"Zhang, what do you think?" Senuna said. "I pushed past you on the issue of Verge and the Skirmishers. I want YOU to make this decision."

"Yes." He said warily. "And you know how I feel…"

"We all felt that way once." Jane said curtly. "But the more you talk to these people, the more you realize they're trying to regain their home. Just like us."

Zhang stiffened. "...But _is_ it their home, Jane?"

"It is now." Bradford sighed.

Zhang pondered this. "...Aliens or not, that is a distress signal. And I still remember our motto." He stood, his legs still weak and teetering. "This, perhaps, would be a good chance to test the Sectoid, I think. See where his loyalties truly lie."

.

.

"Don't look directly into the sun, Kon-Mai." Someone said behind her. "You'll be blinded."

Kon-Mai startled, blinking herself back to attention. "I was not." She said as she rubbed her sore eyes. That was a lie. The rising sun had seemingly called her out of bed early that morning. It's warmth was infectious.

Savitr smiled up at her. "You seem to have been distracted recently. Ever since the mission to Georgia."

"Have I?" She shook her head. "I know where my mind wanders to. I am completely in control." She smiled. There were few warm thoughts she had from her time with ADVENT, but those that were there, she took refuge in. The few times she and her brothers had worked together...those were good memories.

"The crevices of your mind must be a fascinating place then, if you can spend hours just thinking." Savitr sighed. "I have so little in there, myself."

She scoffed. "Petty excuses. You have as much thought as I or anyone else."

"Not memories though." He shrugged. "I'm merely a clone, no past life before this."

Kon-Mai fell very silent. "...So your lack of memories makes you a clone?"

"Not exactly but…" He swallowed. "I suppose it is a symptom."

She scoffed. "Well, I have good reason to believe I am a clone as well, then. I have no memories of any past."

"But you said-"

"Before ADVENT." She clarified. "My mind, my…'human' life is a blank slate. Perhaps there's nothing to remember." She realized she was shaking and willed herself still.

"Does the topic upset you?" He beckoned her to walk with him, and surprisingly, she did. "I knew your brothers had past lives, but you, _Kon-Mai Mordenna_, you seemed to come out of thin air."

She did not know what to say to that. "The scientists never told me." She finally answered. "And I never found any reason to ask. My life was the Elders'."

"Your brothers do not share your opinions, it seems."

"My brothers are…very human." She looked up. "I do not have such luxuries."

"I would disagree." He mused. "I think you are more than human."

She began to snarl, but he held up a hand.

"What I mean is...you are kind, and tender and caring. You are brilliant and quick, and I have heard you speaking to the Darkstrider, keeping up with your brother's wit. And he is quite intimidating. That takes talent." He smiled. "I think you are a good person, Kon-Mai. I wish more humans were like you."

"What brought all this on?" She asked.

"You seemed to be distressed after the last mission." He admitted. "And I never had the chance to tell you-"

_"Kon-Mai Mordenna, please report to the Skyranger. Kon-Mai Mordenna, please report to the Skyranger."_ The loudspeaker sang out.

Kon-Mai looked down at Savitr with sympathy. "I'm afraid I must depart."

His face fell, but he nodded, bowing to her. "Then I will see you soon, Kon-Mai."

She sighed, but he could see her slight smile. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For calling me by my real name."

.

.

"You excited?"

Verge straightened up and looked at Gur-Rai, who was watching him from the door. His arms were crossed, and his pistol hung loosely on his finger, where he was twirling it.

"Excited might not be the right word…" Verge ran his hands over the Kevlar armor, tailored to his...unique stature. "I am more anxious."

"Oh, don't you worry~" Gur-Rai chuckled. "It's a scouting mission. Chances are, there won't even be any enemies."

Verge looked up at his tall blue friend. "And yet, the Commander sends down all three of her Chosen?"

"We enjoy spending time together." He shrugged. "Plus, extra protection for you, Verge. You should be happy."

"Yes. So happy." Verge picked up the pair of pants and held them up to the light, examining them. "...I do not want to wear this."

"Well Bradford said no streaking."

"Why? I have no genitals for humans to be offended by."

"That is true. But you know what you DO have?" Gur-Rai poked the Sectoid's scars. "Squishy, squishy organs. And that Kevlar is going to protect those organs from going pop."

Verge fell silent. He had never considered that. "It feels strange."

"The Kevlar? I agree, it sucks. Maybe Kon-Mai can sew up something better for you."

"No." Verge mused. "To be treated as something...valuable. Not expendable."

Gur-Rai blinked, nodding his head slowly. "I know what you mean there."

"Do you?" Verge looked like he didn't believe him.

"Oh trust me." Gur-Rai let out a low growl. "My parents made it clear, they'd _reclaim_ me without shedding a single tear if I ever stepped out of line."

Verge's face was unreadable as Gur-Rai spoke, and he laid the Kevlar back on the table. "I am sorry."

"No, no." He patted Verge on the back, softly, so he did not hurt him. "Don't be sorry for me. I got out...mostly unscathed. I have my brother and sister, I have a job I love, and one of these days I will kick my dickhead dad in the face. I'd say life is good~"

Verge's black eyes met Gur-Rai's smiling purple ones. "...That is a wonderful outlook." He mused. "Maybe someday I shall share it."

"Oh, you will." Gur-Rai slapped him on the back. "Now suit up, Private. We have a plane to catch."

"Yes, Sir." Verge chuckled.

.

.

The Skyranger seemed to almost shudder as it grew closer to the deep, green sea of trees. Firebrand came on the speaker and gave a _"WHOOO-EEE!"_, laughing as the chopper seemed to drop a bit. _"She ridin' feisty today!"_

"Please get us there fully intact!" Dhar-Mon called to the front, holding onto the seats around him for dear life. Funnily enough, Verge seemed to barely notice the drops and bobs, though Gur-Rai was sure that the Sectoid would have been terrified by it…

_"Sorry, sorry."_ Firebrand giggled. _"I don't control the winds!"_

Malinalli scooted along the seats and wrapped her arm in Dhar-Mon's. "Hold onto me." She smiled up at him. "I won't let you fall."

He did not protest; in fact there was no hesitation as he wrapped his other hand around her arm as well, and she seemed to anchor the two in place.

Kon-Mai took a deep breath, opening her eyes and looking up from her meditative state. "Does anyone else hear something strange…?"

There was silence for a moment. Then Verge spoke: "Yes...it sounds like talking."

"Maybe the speakers are bugging out again." Malinalli put forth. "This vehicle is old, after all…"

Kon-Mai did not look satisfied with the answer, but she could not say anything before the Skyranger shuddered again, and began to descend.

"The signal is coming from around here somewhere!" Firebrand called. "If you can't pick it up, just call me back. I'll be circling."

"Thanks, Bryni!" Malinalli called as the door to the Skyranger opened. She stood up and stretched. "Come on, gang!"

The four aliens followed the one human out of the chopper and onto...what once was grassy plain. Now, it was mostly small trees and quickly growing shrubbery that was transforming into jungle. In fact it seemed as though the trees from the forest were closing in around them, even in this sunny patch where they stood. Winding vines spread out across the dirt and grass, overtaking what buildings had been there. Ahead of them, a faded sign that said _Welcome to Kakamega Forest_ in white letters was hanging sideways from one chain, the other having snapped. The green overhang it had been attached to had fallen to the side, smashing open the ranger's station.

The four of them surveyed the damage, and Malinalli smiled. "Looks nice."

"Nice?" Verge looked at her like she was insane. "It looks nice?"

"Well, I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer home here, but the trees are actually quite lovely!" She stepped forward, hands on her hips. "You know this rainforest was endangered before the Elders arrived. Now look at it."

"I think the people who died in the invasion would take issue with that statement." Verge hugged himself. "Does the survival of this forest outweigh those lost?"

"I didn't say that." Malinalli snapped. "Just...that it's ironic. Not that it's a good thing."

"Furthermore." Verge said. "This forest could be full of dangerous creatures. Dangerous to humans especially."

Gur-Rai put an arm around his, by comparison, smaller friend and winked at him. "Don't worry, Verge, I'll keep you safe from the tree monsters."

"Yay." Verge sighed.

Kon-Mai went to examine the ranger's station. "There are supplies here that XCOM could use. Should we take them?"

"I don't wanna traipse through the woods carrying a bunch of boxes." Gur-Rai said, his arm still around Verge. "Let's hide them though, come back for them later."

"Molly, would you-" Kon-Mai didn't have a chance to finish speaking before a cacophony of birds exploding through the trees caused everyone in the party to jump out of their skins in fright. Within seconds, Kon-Mai had her sword in her hand, and Dhar-Mon had reached for Malinalli to pull her behind him. Verge squished his body closer to Gur-Rai. Silence hung for a moment.

"...Something startled them." Dhar-Mon growled. "I fear we are not alone out here."

"You are right, Brother." Kon-Mai said, sword in hand. "Shall I call Firebrand?"

"No…" Gur-Rai said. "Someone in that UFO sent that distress signal, yes? Best not leave them hanging!"

"What if the inhabitants try to kill us?" Verge asked.

"Well, in UFO's there are aliens. And we're aliens too, so they'll probably see us as kin~"

"Um-"

"Yes, Molly, I know. Shut up."

"What if our 'brethren' decide to kill us?" Verge asked.

"Then I'll kill 'em first." Gur-Rai winked.

Kon-Mai seemed to sigh. "Then let us go." She finally put her sword away. "And hope that no one else is joining us today."

"Firebrand." Dhar-Mon said into his comm. "Can you still see us?"

_"Clear as day!"_ Firebrand's voice echoed through the comm. _"But those trees are awfully thick. I'll try to keep visual, but keep a note of where y'all's coordinates are."_

"We shall certainly try." Kon-Mai said, and beckoned to the others. She took one step towards the forest, the trees seeming to lean in towards her as she walked.

Verge finally let go of Gur-Rai, who pouted. "Aw, leaving so soon? I thought we had something~"

When Verge turned pink, the Chosen laughed.

.

.

The trees grew thicker as they kept on walking, and the thick green canopy seemed to blot out the very sun. The party slogged through the wet jungle, the branches seeming to reach out to grab them at every turn. Bugs buzzed around their heads, causing distraction and annoyance all around. Kon-Mai was in the lead, cutting through the thick vines effortlessly with her sword.

Verge looked over his shoulder. "Shrinemaiden, did we not pass that tree before?"

"I don't believe we did." Kon-Mai stopped and listened. "...No, I do not recognize these bird sounds."

"Maybe they're singing a different song this time 'round." Gur-Rai smirked.

"Who is in the lead, Brother? You? No." She smirked. "I know where we are going. I can lead us just fine."

"I'm sure you can, Mom~"

"Please don't call me that."

"Why? You're too young to be a Grandma-"

Dhar-Mon whacked Gur-Rai on the back of the head, causing Malinalli to snicker. "You are too old to be acting like a five year old." He scolded his brother. "And yet, here we are."

"Shrinemaiden." Verge said again. "I am certain we have been this way before."

"No, we have not." She snapped. "Why ever would you think that?!"

"Because…" He pointed to the ground. Along the path they were walking, in front of them, were a line of footprints. Their own footprints.

The group stared ahead at it, Kon-Mai rubbing her eyes. Dhar-Mon put a hand on her shoulder. "Let me lead, Sister. I am the Eldest of the Chosen, and therefore have a natural sense of direction."

"Oh sure." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "Like that one time in Bighorn-"

"Do not speak of that, that was an honest mistake." Dhar-Mon snapped. "And I believe it was you who decided to shoot the Gatekeeper, Gur-Rai."

"Yes I did, but that was _after_ you got us lost."

"Boys." Malinalli said. "I hate to be that person, but it is getting dark. If we don't find the UFO soon-"

"Yes, yes." Dhar-Mon patted her shoulder. "You are right, Malinalli. Come, I shall lead."

Gur-Rai rolled his eyes and fell into step beside Kon-Mai. "He's gonna get lost."

"Maybe you _should_ lead." She mumbled. "You are a hunter, are you not?"

"A hunter, not a tour guide." He said. "I'm just here to kill things."

Kon-Mai shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if you shall ever change, Brother."

"I sincerely hope so~"

.

.

The sun sank beneath the mountains, casting it's orange rays across the savanna, but the group would not have seen it anyway. From their view, all they saw was the green of the trees fading into blue, and then various shades of grey and black as their main light source disappeared from the sky.

Gur-Rai pulled a flashlight off his belt and turned it on, and Kon-Mai seemed to be walking with her eyes closed, relying on her excellent hearing to guide her. She gasped, darted forward and caught Dhar-Mon before he stepped down. "Snake. Do not move."

"A viper?!" He hissed.

"No." She almost chuckled. "A small snake." She waited a moment. "Step back. Slowly." As he did, she pulled her sword and felt along the ground with the tip, lifting the tiny, colorful snake up by her blade. In the darkness, all they could see was a writhing worm-like creature, which Kon-Mai held at arm's length for a moment before tossing it into the trees.

"It is safe now." She said.

"Is it?" Verge asked. "There are many dangerous things in this forest, not including anything we might find in the UFO."

"Well, the pathway is clear." Kon-Mai gestured ahead.

"We cannot be sure of that." He replied. "We cannot see."

"I can hear." She sighed. "I assure you, we are-" They all broke off as a loud rustling in the bushes echoed through the dark trees.

"Look, it's dark, it's cold, we're all on edge and I don't see any UFO's out here." Gur-Rai held up his hands. "Why don't I put in a call to Firebrand?"

"That is unnecessary." Kon-Mai said with a sigh, but her brother was fiddling with his comm while she shifted on her leg, taking up a more relaxed stance.

"Bryni, this is Gur-Rai." He said. "We need a pickup, things are dark and spooky out here."

Kon-Mai listened in. There was silence for a good, long moment.

"Firebrand, this is Darkstrider." He waited in silence again. "Firebrand, come in."

"Is she not answering?" Malinalli asked.

"Um…" He dropped his hand. "Someone else try theirs."

"Firebrand." Dhar-Mon's loud voice boomed. "This is the Hieromonk. We request immediate extraction."

A full minute passed of absolute silence. Verge reached out for Gur-Rai's arm and the Chosen took it.

"Maybe the trees are blocking the signal…" Malinalli said. "I wish it wasn't so dark."

"What do we do now?" Dhar-Mon asked.

"We should continue the search." Kon-Mai asserted. "The sooner we find our target, the sooner we might return home."

"And if we end up with injured that need an evac? And Bryni can't find us out here?" Gur-Rai shook his head. "I say, we make camp."

"Make...camp?" Dhar-Mon blinked.

"Oh come now, Brother. You've been camping before." He nudged him. "Right?"

Dhar-Mon's blank stare answered that question.

"Sister." Gur-Rai turned to Kon-Mai. "Surely _you_ have. The woods are full of those blissful shadows you like so much."

"They are." She admitted. "But never have I set up...sleeping arrangements in the woods."

"Why not?" He pouted.

"Because my stronghold was a beam of light away." She crossed her arms. "A camp had no purpose."

Gur-Rai looked to Malinalli, who shrugged. "Technically my childhood home was a campsite. I was raised in a tent."

"Finally some good news." He nodded. "Can you make a fire?"

"Sure can!"

"Excellent. Brother, Sister, you two find some dry wood for our human friend to use. And Dhar-Mon, if you could find a large branch or something that would make good shelt-"

"Now wait, Brother." Kon-Mai hissed. "Why are you suddenly giving orders?"

"Because I've spent whole weeks in the woods before, and could survive out here with just my bare buttocks and my hood." He smiled, his teeth glinting in the low light.

"I don't like the way you phrased that." Verge said. "Please keep your clothes on."

"Says the Sectoid."

"If I must wear pants, so must you."

.

.

Kon-Mai rubbed her hands together, watching from her crouched position as Malinalli began the process of starting a fire. "The forest is cold tonight…" She mused, blowing on her hands.

"Mm." Malinalli said in agreement. "Kinda worries me…"

"Is the air here not usually this...frigid?" Kon-Mai looked around.

"Normal temperatures for the Kakamega forest should hover around 52 degrees fahrenheit at night." Malinalli stood up, rubbing her arms. "This feels colder...Where are the boys? I need one of them to help."

"Dhar-Mon is…" Kon-Mai looked over her shoulder. What was he doing? She could see him far behind her, messing with what looked like a bundle of sticks. "Brother? What are you doing?"

"I am making a tent!" He cried from the darkness. He sounded incredibly irritated.

"You do not know how to make a tent." She scoffed. "Come, join us."

"I know how and if not, I shall teach myself!" He snapped. "Now silence, Sister!"

She scoffed. "How dare he." She muttered as she turned back to the glowing wood. "Perhaps I could help."

"Better than anything I've got! Put your hands over the wood." Malinalli said. "I need some extra psionics to give the fire a jump-start."

Kon-Mai understood why the human nurse had preferred Dhar-Mon for this, but perhaps her own limited psionic potential would be enough. She knelt beside the hot wood and put her fingers close to it, the tingling of the energy already there licking at her fingertips. She closed her eyes, listening to Malinalli quickly rubbing the smaller stick against the larger log, her movements getting faster and faster-

"ARISE YE PARTY!" Gur-Rai's voice cut through the quiet, breaking their concentration. Kon-Mai startled and let out a scream, the logs bursting into flame just as she tore her hands away. Malinalli only barely managed to get away in time, losing her lighter stick to the flames.

"Gur-RAI!" Kon-Mai hissed, jumping to her feet. "What is the MATTER with you?!"

"Nothing." He said cheerfully. "I found some food out in the jungle." He held up a handful of small, reddish-purple fruits.

"...We don't need food." Kon-Mai snapped. "We do not EAT!"

"WE don't. But our little human nurse here does. And I think Verge can as well. Where is he…?" Gur-Rai turned around. "Verge!"

"I am here." Verge grunted as he came running up towards them, holding a similar fruit. This one, though, was the size of a basketball. "My back hurts, Darkstrider."

"Where are you finding these?" Malinalli cried, running over. "What is that?"

"Based on my limited knowledge of Earth fauna…" Verge cleared his throat and set the fruit on the ground "I believe this is from the Moraceae family."

"So it's a fig." Malinalli said. "How did it get this-"

"Huge?" Gur-Rai chuckled. "I have no idea, but isn't it amazing?! This'll feed us for days!"

Malinalli swallowed. "...Days?"

"Well yes, Molly, we have no idea how long we'll be lost out here. We need to start setting up our shelter."

There was a crack, then a loud THWACK noise, and Dhar-Mon cried out in pain. As they all turned towards the sound, they saw him march confidently out of the trees, the fire illuminating his face.

And revealing the large, red mark that stretched across it, from his forehead to his chin, in the shape of a tree branch.

"I have finished making the tent." He insisted, pointing behind him. His brother took one look over his shoulder and burst into hysterics.

"Brother." Kon-Mai hissed.

"That is NOT a tent." Gur-Rai said. "That pile of shit? It's coming down with a slight breeze!"

Malinalli and Verge looked over. It really was a piece of shit: barely even a shelter, it consisted of several small sticks balanced haphazardly on a few larger ones, which were leaning precariously on a log that was suspended in the air by said branches. The entire thing teetered as it relied on itself to remain upright.

Kon-Mai whacked Gur-Rai across the head, stopping his laughter. "He MADE that for us!"

"I think it's nice!" Malinalli said, obviously a lie but with a smile sweet enough, Dhar-Mon either didn't notice or didn't care.

"You do?" His voice was small, like that of a child, and his eyes were large and hopeful.

"I do! It'll keep us nice and warm tonight while Gur-Rai sleeps outside." She smirked in his direction.

He shook his head. "After all I've done for you, Molly? I got you figs, for Jupiter's sake."

"Thanks." She rolled her eyes. She plucked one from his grasp. "Come on, it's getting chilly. I'm going to get warm by the fire. The one your sister was kind enough to help me with." She smiled at Kon-Mai as she turned back to the pit. "That was impressive by the way. You're more talented than you think."

"I _am_ one of the Chosen." Kon-Mai nodded. "Perhaps Elder Bhandasura did bless me with more power than I thought."

As the group began to gather around the fire, Malinalli mused on that. "What did he bless you _with_, per se?" She asked. "I'm a bit confused about how your…" She waved her hands.

"How was our conception achieved?" Kon-Mai chuckled.

"Yeah." Malinalli began digging into a fig with her thumb. "I'm guessing it wasn't a case of a Mommy Elder and a Daddy Elder doing the sideways tango."

Gur-Rai chuckled and Kon-Mai seemed to blush a bit, while Dhar-Mon looked thoroughly confused.

"We were born in tubes." Gur-Rai said. "I remember most of my birth, unfortunately. It was painful."

Malinalli nodded somberly. "How did they do it…?"

"One of the Big Three was assigned to watch the whole thing." He continued. "For me it was Camazotz. He designed my body, and gave me one...special talent." He pointed to his face. "My eyes. He was very, very proud of my eyes. Vision almost like precognition, he called it." He sat back. "But throughout the process my...other parents were brought in, too. My 'mother', Abyzou, gave me cunning and tenacity, a mind that could solve any problem in front of me, and a personality that does not…" He coughed. "Well, that isn't supposed to take no for an answer. And ol' Bhandasura, he gave me a steady hand and a grip that doesn't shake when I hold my gun."

"For me as well." Kon-Mai cut in. "Though I do not remember the details of my birth, when I awoke, my parents were surrounding me." She ran her hands over her chest, down to her stomach, along the curve of her hip. "Abyzou was the one who supervised my birth. She gave me this."

"Gave you...hips?" Malinalli cocked her head.

"She gave me my body." Her voice was quiet, almost like she was ashamed of it. "She was so proud of...the features I have. The things that made me…'unique'. She told me this body of mine was a gift,a jewel to be protected, delicate as glass and as tough as Cydonian Steel." She sighed. "...And that in my reflection, was death.

"Camazotz gave me quickness, my reflexes, and the speed of a bird gliding through the air." She smiled a bit. "And Bhandasura…" She thought for a minute. "He was never clear but...when he met me, he put a hand on my cheek…" She touched her face "and told me that I will always know love for those close to me."

"And on your sixteenth birthday, you'll prick your finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a deep slumber." Gur-Rai chuckled. "Thanks, Dad. He always did love Dhar-Mon the most."

"That is not true…" Dhar-Mon sounded so unsure, his booming voice a whisper. "What he did to me was not love."

"Do you remember it?" Malinalli asked.

"My earliest memory was like that of my sister's." He admitted. "I awoke with Elder Bhandasura standing over me. I got to my feet, barely able to manage a crawl, and my parents stood over me and proclaimed me their Chosen one."

"And what did he give you?"

"My father Bhandasura," Dhar-Mon began "gave me this." He held up his hand, purple energy dancing in his palm. "My powers, the knowledge of how to wield them, and the strength to nearly rival gods." He lowered his hand. "My mother Abyzou gave me my voice, a tongue to drown the throat of war, and a voice that could silence the cosmos."

"She did a good job, I'll give her that." Gur-Rai chuckled. "And what did my old dad give you?"

Dhar-Mon thought for a long time, his face lined in the dim firelight. Then finally, he spoke. "He gave me fear." He whispered. "So I would always know that what was given to me could be taken. So I would always know where the line was, and how far I could go before I crossed it."

"...Man." Malinalli tossed her fig into the fire. "Fuck Camazotz! And fuck the rest of them!"

Dhar-Mon looked up at her, in shock at her language.

"What?" She asked.

"I did not expect such language from you, Malinalli." He seemed to chuckle.

"Giving you fear as a gift?!" She spat. "Giving Kon-Mai a 'body'? You know what I think, I think she HAD a body and Abyzou just wanted to take credit for something she had no control over!" She turned to Gur-Rai. "And I don't know who you were before they got you, but I'm willing to bet your hand was pretty steady before all that!"

"I'll match that bet." He nodded.

"They gave you blue skin and some cool powers." Malinalli sat back down. "But those...THINGS are not your parents. Abyzou is NOT your mom, and the other two are not your dads."

"They have names." Dhar-Mon said.

"I don't care." She crossed her arms. "So do you, Dhar-Mon. You have a name. And I call you that name because I lo-I respect you." She said quickly. "I do NOT respect the Terrible Throuple."

Gur-Rai cackled at that, nearly doubling over. Kon-Mai seemed to relax as well, leaning back against the log she sat on.

"What of you, Verge?" Dhar-Mon asked. "You have been silent, yet you are also a child of the Elders."

Verge was quiet, picking at the red skin of the fig in his lap. "Well...I was made on an assembly line. Like all the other Sectoids." He chuckled. "The Elders barely acknowledged my existence before my betrayal. In fact, I never saw the Three. I was under the jurisdiction of Vox Imdugud, and even then, I did not report to him directly."

"So there are more than just the three?" Malinalli asked.

"There are…" Verge began to count on his fingers. "...Right now, there are eight."

"Eight?!" She cried. "We have to kill eight Elders?"

"It has been done before." Verge assured her. "They came to this planet with a crew of twenty."

"...What?"

He smiled at her horror. "Your kind has killed many Elders before. You are perhaps the only who could." He pulled his knees to his chest. "A crew of 200 Sectoids came with them on the Temple ship, to Earth. We are made of the Ethereals, born of their blood and power, but designed to be slaves."

Now Kon-Mai looked interested. "I did not know Sectoids shared Ethereal blood."

"Yes." Verge nodded. "We are a race that has no homeworld of our own, no kingdoms that we rule. The Ethereals created us for one purpose. They needed slaves. We...we were those slaves."

There was silence all around, and Malinalli scooted a bit closer. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I know how that feels. Human history has a lot of cases like that…"

"But your history is also filled with color and light." He added. "And while oppressors may have come over ocean blue, you consistently cast off the yoke of tyranny. We Sectoids could never do that."

"Why not?" Gur-Rai asked. "My siblings and I did, and we were literally the Chosen Ones."

"Because you are made of human DNA." Verge said. "Gur-Rai, you even remember bits of your human past."

"Yeah, bits." He shrugged. "But my brother and sister don't, who knows where they came from."

"He is right, Verge." Kon-Mai said. "I do not remember a human life. Sometimes I doubt I had one at all. For all I know, I am a clone off an assembly line, just like you."

"Oh, but Shrinemaiden." He met her gaze. "You haven't looked?"

There was a collective silence.

"What do you mean looked?" Dhar-Mon asked the Sectoid.

Verge looked slightly embarrassed. "You and yours have such great psionic powers. I thought you would have used it for…"

"For what, Verge?" Malinalli leaned forward.

Verge put his fig on the ground. "...Psionic energy not only comes from the individual, but from the very cosmos. We are surrounded by it, all the time, without fail." He folded his hands. "And sometimes, this energy can be called back from...another place. Another time. And from that, we can see snippets of times gone by."

"Like water memory." Malinalli said.

"Yes." Verge nodded. "If you three had any life from before, any memories from before your time as Chosen, I could, conceivably, call back those memories."

A deep, cold silence hung in the darkness around them, just as the weight of Verge's words settled over them. Kon-Mai seemed to fold her hands over her knees, and even Gur-Rai looked hesitant. Dhar-Mon was the only one who met Verge's gaze.

"I would like to see." He insisted.

"What if there's nothing _to_ see?" Gur-Rai said. His tone and face were hesitant and somber. "You won't be disappointed?"

"Dhar-Mon shook his head. "It is an interesting display of Verge's power, and a shame that a master such as myself cannot utilize it."

"If it fails we can fall back on mine." Malinalli piped up. "I'd love to show you all my village before it was totaled."

Verge chuckled. "Alright then…" He held out his hands. "I will need everyone to sit close to me and join hands."

All the party members scooted to the forest floor, staring directly into the blazing fire. Gur-Rai reached out and took his sister's hand. She then took his and their elder brother's hands in hers. Malinalli reached over and squeezed Dhar-Mon's grasp like she had so long ago in the hospital, and then reached for Verge. He hesitated, looking Gur-Rai in the eye, who just stared at him with an expectant look. Finally, Verge reached over and took him as well.

The circle completed, Verge closed his eyes, and the others did the same.

"Look deep." He said. "Find something, even if it's just a feeling on the tip of your tongue. Something you can't place. I will find it, and I will follow it."

Kon-Mai squeezed her brothers' hands. She called on that feeling deep within herself, that feeling from before when Tsiuri was in her arms, when Ismene looked up at her with a beaming smile, the feeling like all of this was so familiar. Like she had done this all before. She took a deep breath, the smell of the forest enveloping her. The wood and leaves, the whistle of the wind, insects at her feet, the cold air closing in on her…

No. It was warm. At first she thought it was the fire, but she soon realized the very air around her had shifted temperatures.

"Don't open your eyes." Verge said. "Follow that feeling."

She felt something rising in her chest, like a scream. Or a laugh. Something tingling and...comforting. Gur-Rai squeezed her hand.

Then the ground beneath them disappeared, and for a moment it felt like she was falling, before she felt the crunch of forest leaves beneath her.

Kon-Mai scrambled to her feet, looking around, suddenly panicking. Her brothers were gone and, furthermore, so were her clothes. As she scrambled to cover her shame, she heard Verge's voice behind her.

"Oh dear, that was my mistake, I apologize." The ground beneath her feet seemed to shift, and she was once again dressed in her light armor. "I forget that not everyone can go naked like me."

"How'd you do that?!" Kon-Mai turned and saw Malinalli and Dhar-Mon approaching where Verge stood behind her. Malinalli was clothed, but in her civilian wear, and her curly hair was loose. "When I tried something like this, Dhar-Mon and I were both naked the whole time!"

"This is all a dream, Malinalli." He said. "And like a dream, you can control anything you desire here...to a degree."

"Anything?" Gur-Rai emerged from behind a tree. "So I could surround myself with-"

"Yes, anything you desire. Food, beautiful women-"

Gur-Rai shrugged. "I'm in the mood for dick today."

The entire party groaned, and Kon-Mai walked over and gave him a gentle pinch on the ear.

"Ow." He giggled. "So, whose memory is this?"

"I am not sure." Verge said. "It appears your sister called it forth, but around us, I feel traces of all three of you."

Kon-Mai looked around. These trees, this forest, it all did seem so familiar. She knew this place, intrinsically, deep in her bones. "Let us explore, then."

They began to traverse the landscape, their shoes sliding on the leafy floor. Malinalli almost tripped and would have fallen if Dhar-Mon hadn't caught her. Looking up at the flora above them, Kon-Mai noticed the trees around her were...quite peculiar.

"We are not in Africa anymore." She said.

"I would assume not." Verge replied. "Unless you have been to Africa in your youth?"

"I have been to Australia…" She looked around warily. "Please, if a koala makes its appearance-"

"Koalas are cute!" Malinalli interjected.

Kon-Mai hissed at her. "They are demons who wear skins of fur."

Malinalli shrank back a bit, but chuckled. "Don't like koalas, huh?"

"No."

They left the conversation at that. The pine needles under their feet crunched silently. The Darkstrider looked up and noticed the puffs of pink and white petals. Cherry blossoms. "I wonder where we are."

In the silence that followed his musings, there was a sound. Kon-Mai stopped, straining her ears. "Do you hear that…?"

Verge also listened, falling in beside her. "...That is the sound of a child's laugh."

"Huh?" Malinalli looked excited. "Which way?"

Kon-Mai gestured up a steep, green hill, the sun guarded by tall pines standing at attention. Before her brothers could stop her, she took a running start and climbed up the slope, gripping the grass like an animal. Gur-Rai followed her close behind and even managed to briefly overtake her as they got to the top and stared, shocked, across the clearing.

For a distance of a good 200 yards, there were no trees: just great, rolling mounds, upon one stood a singular tree dotted with pink and white cherry blossoms. Around that tree, three figures danced and played, like nymphs, laughing in shrill voices.

_"Children."_ Kon-Mai breathed quietly. And as though they could hear her whisper, they all stopped their play and turned to look at her.

It was then, as they were joined by Dhar-Mon, with Malinalli and Verge emerging some feet away, that the wave of familiarity swept over all three Chosen. The figures, though shrouded, looked to be two boys and a girl, she being the smallest of the three. The tallest stepped forward in front of the other two. The three Chosen held their gaze, unmoving. The children stared back, as though they were waiting.

Then one of them, the tiny girl, moved. And as she drew closer, Kon-Mai stepped out to meet her halfway.

The child's eyes gazed up into her own purple ones with only curiosity, and Kon-Mai felt her chest tighten as she gazed upon her. Her skin was dark caramel: not as deep as Malinalli's, but with hints of olive and a dark umber base. Her eyes were just as dark, their color a deep, warm chestnut, and Kon-Mai sore she saw red in them. Her black hair was not smooth, but curled in tight, fluffy coils that made her black locks resemble a cloud. She was so small and so unmistakably human. And yet, as Kon-Mai knelt down before her, she sensed something deep and old and knowing within this girl.

The child met her gaze with confidence, reached up, and put a small handful of cherry blossoms atop Kon-Mai's head, showering her in pink petals. She heard Malinalli squeal, and Gur-Rai cackled with the absurdity.

Kon-Mai smiled at the little girl, who smiled back, giggling only a tiny bit. The child clasped her hands in front of her and bowed deeply, but as she was about to speak, someone grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.

It was one of the other children. Where the girl had been barely over four, this boy looked at least nine, but his face was wise beyond his years. He gazed warily at Kon-Mai, almost like he recognized her from somewhere. She, too, felt a sense of familiarity.

His own thick, black hair was styled in dreadlocks that reminded her of her own, back when she had worn her circlet religiously. His features resembled the girl's but his skin was far darker, darker even than Malinalli's skin tone. Those same chestnut-red eyes stared at her expectantly.

Then his gaze shifted behind her, where Dhar-Mon had approached them. He and the boy locked eyes, the boy almost challenging the Chosen to do, or say, something to hurt the child he'd pushed behind him. The girl hid behind this boy, looking up at him like she knew he was the only thing standing between her and the world.

"Woah, hey!" They heard Gur-Rai yell, and the eldest boy turned and called to the child now attached to Gur-Rai's pants, trying to grab at Darkclaw. Gur-Rai managed to pull the boy off but he clung to the Chosen's arm, intent on getting to play with the dangerous weapon. Gur-Rai pulled out the gun and held it above the child's head. "Cut it out, kid. This isn't a toy."

_"Genjiro!"_ When the eldest child called that name, it seemed to echo in the air around them, reverberating and almost tearing the whole vision asunder. The younger boy looked back at him, then up at Gur-Rai again. His eyes were lighter than the other two, as was his skin, that had more olive in it than umber. His hair, instead of the tight curls, lay in a black, floppy mat over his eyes. He smiled up at Gur-Rai, and the Chosen saw the boy had lost his front teeth recently, leaving him with an adorably menacing pair of fangs.

Gur-Rai chuckled. "When you're older, kid." He assured him. "Come find me when you're older, and I'll let you play with this." He gestured to the other two children. "Go on, now."

The boy dove for his leg again, but this time only to squeeze it in a tight hug. As soon as Gur-Rai was over the shock of that, the boy let go and ran back to the others, where the eldest grabbed his shoulder and spoke to him harshly about running off toward strangers.

_"But they aren't strangers!"_ Again, a voice rang out all around them, shaking them to their core. No other sounds could be heard, though, as the eldest took hold of the younger boy and youngest girl by their hands, and pulled them back towards the tree.

The Chosen watched the Children go, standing side by side as the Children turned once again. Kon-Mai, facing the girl, smiled, shyly bearing serrated teeth. The girl met her eyes, a smile on her lips, like she had reunited with a loved one long lost.

Under the wind and sky and cherry tree, they all stared at each other. It felt like an eternity.

Then a loud sound, like shriek, cut the sky in two. This vision collapsed and Kon-Mai's eyes flew open when she was in front of the fire again, in the darkness of the woods. Beside her, Gur-Rai scrambled to his feet and pulled Darklance off his back.

"Get under cover!" Dhar-Mon ordered Malinalli and Verge. "We are being ambushed!"

.

.

The Sectoid hissed and clenched it's fist at this traitor that looked like them, but wore clothes and scurried away like a scared rat. They had Verge pinned, his back against a tree as three of his former comrades surrounded him. This time, though, he would not be deterred. He held out his hand, a miasma of purple energy surrounding his fist…

Just as he lashed out at one, however, the Sectoid to his left hit him with a psionic blast of their own. His vision went white and he slumped against the tree, feeling the other two tugging at his armor to get it off.

"I don't recall him giving consent." Gur-Rai's voice cut through the chaos. One of the Sectoids shrieked, and it's body fell on top of Verge. Another ran away, and the third decided to die a hero and launched itself at Gur-Rai.

Bad idea. While the Darkstrider was weaker at close combat, the shadow behind him drew her sword and sliced the Sectoid in two.

Malinalli ran over to Verge and checked his pulse, doing the math quickly in her head. "Stay down. They hit you hard."

"We must run." Verge croaked. "More are coming…"

"How did they find us?" Kon-Mai asked.

"They came for the distress signal." Gur-Rai grumbled. "Looks like ADVENT got here before we did."

_"Entos mavopis."_ Kon-Mai hissed. "If our rescuees are not already dead, they shall be soon."

"I have located the wreckage of the UFO." Dhar-Mon said, approaching them. His hammer was covered in orange blood, and his robe was slightly torn. "They attempted to hide; the cloak seems to still be operational. Luckily, I can see through such petty tricks."

"Good work, Brother." Gur-Rai nodded. "Let see if anyone is still alive in there."

"Someone must stay here to guard Verge and Molly." Kon-Mai insisted.

"I'll be fine." Malinalli said. "I have my own pistol."

"Yeah, so did Shammy." Gur-Rai said. "What happens if a Chryssalid shows up?"

Malinalli sneered at him, then lifted her hand. A bubble of green psionic energy covered her and Verge, and she smiled as she dropped it again, the bubble disappearing. "That'll happen."

Gur-Rai and Kon-Mai both blinked in shock, and Dhar-Mon smiled at her in pride. "I see you have been practicing diligently."

"I always do your homework before any of the other teachers." She giggled. "Now please, the sooner you three find the ship, the sooner we can find our way out of here and go home."

Kon-Mai nodded at her brothers. "Shall we?"

"They won't know what hit 'em~" Gur-Rai chuckled.

Dhar-Mon raised his hammer in his hands and took off into the trees, his siblings close behind.

.

.

Kon-Mai raised her arm to protect herself from the Viper screaming in her face. Instead of the terrified reaction the Viper clearly expected, Kon-Mai gave her a look of annoyance and pulled her dagger from her belt, jamming it into the roof of the viper's open mouth and into her brain. Behind her, she saw a flash of purple, and heard Dhar-Mon shouting in Etheric.

She let the viper drop. "Gur-Rai?! Tell me your location!"

"Duck!" Was the only thing he said in return. Kon-Mai dropped into a crouch, and the Sectoid that had been about to leap onto her was hit with the piercing red bullet of her brother's rifle. It dropped to the ground, gurgling as it died.

She waited in the silence for a moment. "...Is that all?"

Dhar-Mon put his hammer back up on his back and approached her, holding his hand out to help her to her feet. Gur-Rai dropped down from the trees and put his gun away, whistling.

"Are you alright?" Dhar-Mon checked his younger sister's arms. "You are not hurt?"

She shook her head. "Gur-Rai shot them down before they could harm me."

On that cue, Dhar-Mon went to check on his little brother, who loudly objected. "I'm fine, I'm fine, this isn't my blood!"

"Hold still!" Dhar-Mon scolded, trying to use his finger to wipe the blood away.

"I'll be fine. We're already here, anyway." He gestured to the...very dinky flying saucer. "That's what we're here for? Kinda...small, isn't it?"

Dhar-Mon sighed. "Yes. But these early scout ships often are."

"Perhaps there are supplies within." Kon-Mai approached it slowly, her hand raised as though something was going to come shooting out of it at any moment. When nothing inside moved, she touched the smooth surface.

_"Unrecognized signature. Please identify."_

Kon-Mai tore her hand away, gasping. Gur-Rai's eyebrow shot up. "It works!"

_"Unrecognized signature. Please identify."_ The computerized vice repeated. The saucer blinked expectantly.

"You heard it, Sister." He said. "Who are you?"

She thought for a moment. "This is before our time. It will not know me as Kon-Mai."

"Yes…" He smiled. "But maybe it will know _Mordenna_."

She grimaced, stepping away. "I can't."

"Sister-"

"I can't. I am sorry…" She retreated over to her brothers.

"Do not worry, Sister." Dhar-Mon said as he approached the machine, laying his hand on the pearly surface.

_"Unrecognized signature. Please identify."_

"...Madron." He said, his voice heavy. "I am...Madron."

_"Welcome, Bhandasura."_ The door slid open and Dhar-Mon staggered back, shaken by the words the machine spoke.

Kon-Mai sank into a crouch. "It thinks we are our parents…" She began. She did not finish the thought.

Dhar-Mon wrapped an arm around her, while Gur-Rai began to climb inside the tiny ship, half buried in the dirt. "I am sure it is mistaken, Sister." Dhar-Mon assured her. "This machine is very old. It probably thinks the Sectoids are Ethereals."

Kon-Mai did not look convinced. "Or perhaps I am simply a clone, grown in a vat from the Elder's blood. Perhaps I have no true birth mother, and Abyzou and her twisted 'love' are the only frame of reference I have."'

"Oh, nonsense." He patted her shoulder. "What did we see in the forest just now?"

"I don't know." She said. "Perhaps we saw what we simply WANTED to see."

"And yet, I was human once." He assured her. "And it still thought me Vox Bhandasura. This machine is old and mistaken." He ran a hand through her hair. "You are nothing like the Elders."

That did not seem to console her, and thankfully his brother emerged with something in his hands.

"Is there anyone inside?" Dhar-Mon asked.

Gur-Rai shook his head. "No dead, so that's good. It looks like they managed to make it out before ADVENT got here."

"That is good." Kon-Mai nodded and got to her feet. "What are you holding?"

"Check it out." The Darkstrider came over to the other two, holding out a very small, black brick.

"What is that?"

"This is an old Samsung Galaxy s6." He said. "It's a...smartphone. Like a data pad but you can also call people, and watch videos and shit." He turned it sideways. "I popped the back off, and it still looks like it should work."

"And the significance of this is what, Brother?" Dhar-Mon asked.

"Well, for one thing I can probably hotwire this to contact Firebrand." He said. "If I connect it with my own comm it'll give me a signal boost. We might be able to push through whatever is blocking us."

"And then we may finally escape this forest." Kon-Mai sounded relieved. "Thank goodness."

"Yep." Gur-Rai pushed and held the power button on the phone, and it buzzed as it came to life. "Huh, it's still got battery."

His siblings crowded around him as the phone came to life. As it did, they all gasped in surprise at the image that decorated the lock screen.

"Is that Senuna?" Kon-Mai asked.

It definitely was a picture of Senuna. Her hair was shorter and slightly curly, but she looked just as young and chipper as she did when they last saw her on the ship. She was standing on a beachside pier, arm-in-arm with another woman, her darker green eyes framed by short brown hair.

"Well that's no doubt the Commander." Gur-Rai chuckled. "Who's she with there?"

"You two really are so young, to not remember" Dhar-Mon shook his head.

"Not remember what?" They both looked up at him.

"That woman has been a search priority for ADVENT for years." He took the phone and held the picture up to the light. "This woman is Dr. Moira Vahlen."

* * *

(Dun dun DUN!

In this chapter, we saw Senuna asking Zhang for his opinion on potentially bringing alien recruits on board the Avenger. Zhang seemed to agree, on the condition Verge was sent out, in order to "test his loyalty." Upon getting to the Kakamega Forest, the gang gets lost, and are unable to call Firebrand before it gets dark. Malinalli and Gur-Rai set up a camp fire, Kon-Mai uses her psionic powers to help start said fire, and the Chosen discuss the gifts they received from the Elders at their birth: Gur-Rai received his eyes from Camazotz, his mind from Abyzou, and his steady hand from Bhandasura. Kon-Mai received her quickness from Camazotz, her body from Abyzou, and an unclear blessing of love from Bhandasura. Dhar-Mon got his powers from Bhandasura, his voice from Abyzou, and an overwhelming sense of fear from Camazotz. It is also revealed that Sectoids are created from Ethereals on the home world, in order to be slaves for them.

Upon hearing this, Kon-Mai voices her fear that she may be a clone as well. Verge takes the Chosen back through their memories, where they encounter three young children playing by a tree. They share a small conversation, but before anything is revealed, the gang is ambushed by ADVENT. They fight off the aliens and find the UFO, which is now empty. However, one thing remains inside: a phone with a picture of Commander Senuna and Dr. Moira Vahlen arm in arm.

A lot of stuff was revealed today, but the gang may have more questions than answers.)


	23. The Outrider's Mission

(Content Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of violence/gore, and implied drug use)

With the help of Vahlen's phone, it didn't take long to get hold of Firebrand, who had been panicking about losing four of the most important recruits XCOM had ever had. Eventually, she managed to get close enough to one of the trees that they were able to make the climb up to her. The ones who couldn't climb rode on the backs of the stronger, more nimble Chosen.

As they landed in the garage and the door slid open, the group stepped off the Skyranger, rubbing sore muscles and nursing minor wounds, but with a general cheer about them. Bradford was waiting for them, as per usual, but this time Senuna had also joined him.

"Welcome back, Menace 1-5." Bradford said with a smile. "Your mission was a big success."

"Was it now?" Verge raised a brow. "No one from the ship is with us. In fact, they are all presumably dead."

"No, but you found the UFO." Bradford said. "As far as the mission is concerned, that's all we asked of you. Good job, people."

Gur-Rai crossed his arms as he met Senuna's eyes. "Well Commander, it's an honor to see you out of bed before noon."

Senuna smiled irritably. "Don't make fun of me, Darkstrider. I wanted to see you all back myself." She pushed past him and walked up to Dhar-Mon and Malinalli, her eyes softening. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Malinalli saluted, her eyes against the floor, and Dhar-Mon bowed. "I must apologize, Commander." He said. "We were careless in allowing ourselves to become lost."

"Oh nonsense!" Senuna reached up and put a hand on his massive shoulder. "You survived out there and kept each other safe. If anything, it was my fault. I didn't expect the forest to have a dampening effect on our communications." She looked to Malinalli. "And you, little one, fared wonderfully."

"Thank you, Madam." Malinalli seemed to blush. "I try my best, each time."

"Commander." Kon-Mai stepped forward. "I believe we may have something of interest to you." She held out the old phone.

Senuna's eyes immediately widened, signifying she recognized the old device. She gently took it from Kon-Mai's grasp, as if she feared her touch would break it. She turned it on, and let loose a small whimper at the sight of the picture on the home screen. They could see tears welling in her turquoise eyes.

"Where did you find this?" She asked.

"On the crashed ship." Gur-Rai said. "It looked recent."

"That photo is of you." Malinalli said. "And Vahlen…?"

Senuna grit her teeth. "ADVENT can't have gotten to her before us." She turned. "I will have Shen begin work on opening this immediately. It might give us more clues to her whereabouts."

"We need Shen to hack it?"

"Moira changed her code every other month because she was paranoid." Senuna shrugged. "Or to keep me from ordering food using her card…the point is, I don't know what her code was, but Shen can probably get into it."

"Well, Shen might need help." Gur-Rai rubbed his hands together.

"She might." Senuna smiled. "But it won't be from you, Darkstrider."

He raised a brow. "...Did I screw up already, Commander?"

"Oh no. You just have another mission coming up." She giggled. "And this one is gonna be fun~"

.

.

A good night's sleep was what they all needed to process what they had learned in the forest, though their dreams did not offer any solace.

The Shrinemaiden dreamt of a child she couldn't see, with eyes that looked like hers, following her through the forest, seemingly only visible when the sun rays hit just right.

The Darkstrider dreamed of guns in his palm and riding shotgun in a beat up old truck, laughing with a joy he had not known since he'd been human.

The Hieromonk dreamed of a murky river, upon which he floated on a raft. From bubbles under the water came distinct notes of saxophones, drums and violins, and a man's voice singing, the sound of which made him sad. It was a relief when his alarm went off, and he was jolted from his slumber.

The sun was already up, painting the sky orange behind thick clouds. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing the knot of muscles that was his neck. No matter how he tried, he never seemed to be able to fully relax. How his sister did so was beyond him.

Dhar-Mon rose from bed, running a hand through his hair, which had been growing ever since he'd arrived on this ship. For some reason, now that he was out of the Elders' embrace, it seemed to grow faster. It was down to his mid back now. He considered cutting it…

Then he felt where the screws and bolts used to be, the ones that tethered those heinous red contraptions to his skull. They were gone now, ripped out by the medical team so they could perform his brain surgery, after his "father" nearly killed him. All that was left were the deep, ugly scars.

He stood and went to the bathroom, stared briefly at the toilet he would never have to use, and then looked at himself in the mirror.

Ugly: that was the first word he thought of. Ugly. Before all this he could have looked in the mirror and insisted that the Elders blessed him with the visage of gods. Now his blue skin and red eyes only served to distance everyone else on this ship from him, reminding him he was not-

There was a knock on his door, and he quickly threw on his robe (the very soft, plushy pink one Kon-Mai had made him), and pressed his ear to the metal. "Who is there?"

"Just me!" Malinalli's happy voice replied. "You okay?"

He opened the door, so eager to see her that he forgot about his state and, as such, was embarrassed by her giggle when she laid her eyes upon him.

"You look so cute!" She cooed.

He blushed, his blue skin turning deep violet. "I…was dressing and...well it would be rude to leave you out in the hallway."

"I can wait if you want me to come ba-"

"No, no no." He stepped to the side. "Come in."

She followed him inside and, suddenly, it occurred to him just how much smaller she was than him, especially when she sat on the bed that was literally twice as long as she was. He was 8'2, and she was almost half his size, maybe 5'5 at most. Her small body did not hold much muscle, but instead was soft and cushioned, her face round and her arms and legs thicker than he had seen before, but then again his frame of reference included only his sister and, maybe, the Commander. Malinalli was certainly chubbier than both, but it seemed to give her an even, healthy glow. If anything, it was fetching.

She looked up at him, looking like she wanted to say something, and he raised a brow in her direction. "Yes?"

"Hey, so, I had a question, before we practiced today." She swallowed, looking nervous.

"You may ask me anything." He assured her, straightening up in an attempt to look regal...in his fluffy pink robe. Thankfully, the attempt seemed to work, because relief flooded her face, and she looked up confidently.

"Can I braid your hair?"

"I...beg your pardon?"

She suddenly looked away again. "Braid it, like mine. When I'm working, I braid it so it stays out of my eyes, and your hair is getting longer, so I was wondering...maybe you wanted…" She coughed. "It's not a big deal, really, just...something interesting. I thought it might be fun to try."

Dhar-Mon stared at her for a moment. His priests used to tend to his hair, combing out each and every knot, carefully anointing it with oils to maintain it's sheen, but...they'd never styled it. Never braided it. And it was beginning to get out of hand…

"...Very well." He muttered. "Would you prefer I sit?"

"Oh! Yes! Please." She giggled, her face lighting up in a way that made him oh so happy.

.

.

"I am not happy."

"I know." Mox said to his seething wife as she paced around the armory. "Perhaps the Commander will reconsider."

"The 'Commander' does nothing but play games with us like we're dolls!" Elena hissed, checking her gun and reloading the bullets again. "One mission with Darkstrider was enough. One mission I could deal with. But he's going to be in our _home_, Pratal!"

"I know." He stood. "It is very angering."

"It's in Reaper territory!" She cried. "And he KILLED the Reapers! Hundreds of us! He killed Major Eli!"

"I know." He just kept repeating. "I can talk with the Commander and ask her to reconsider."

"She'll just get angry at you." Elena pressed her fingers to her temples. "I just...I wish he'd never joined! I wish I'd…" She pressed her face against Mox's shoulder.

"...Was it not five years ago, you said the same about me?" Mox chuckled. "And ten years ago, you claimed to Volk you would never look a Skirmisher in the face without vomiting." He planted a kiss on her ear. "And yet, you now wake up beside me every day."

"Well one day I may vomit after waking up beside you, but it will be for a very different reason." Elena chuckled. "You...you were different, Pratal. You are different."

"Perhaps I am." He said. "But neither of us knew such a thing, until you gave me a chance."

"But I don't want to give him a chance." She whispered. "...I look at him and...I see…"

Mox's eyes darted to the floor. Her words hurt his own heart just as much as it hurt hers.

"I know it's been 10 years." She whispered. "And I love you so much, and I wouldn't trade my life with you for anything in the world but...I still see his face when I look at him, and it makes me so angry."

"I know." He said, pulling her ever closer, squeezing her tight around the waist. "If you cannot work with him, Elena, it is okay."

"No, it's not…" She sighed. "I'm sorry. I just...need to move past this." She took a deep breath. "Tomko is dead. Gur-Rai is not-"

"Gur-Rai is not dead, thank you very much~" That infuriating voice piped up behind her as he waltzed into the armory. He was sucking on a lollipop and it was turning his black tongue slightly green.

"You're here early." She growled.

"I wanted to add a new scope to my Darklance." He chuckled. "And sharpen my machete. She still needs a name, if you have any ideas."

"No." Elena grumbled, going back to polishing her gun.

Gur-Rai shrugged and walked past her. "Mox! It's been years, quite literally! How nice to finally be on a mission together, just like old times!"

"The last time I was deployed with you I ended up with severe brain damage." Mox said, raising a brow. "And you exploded one of the helicopters."

"Yes, but because of that, you now have a better paying job and a beautiful wife." Gur-Rai gestured to Elena. "So if anything, Mox, you should be thanking me~"

"Point at me again." Elena hissed, aiming her gun at Gur-Rai. "I dare you."

"Well, someone is touchy." He winked at Mox. "Luckily, some men like that in a girl."

"I will shoot you." She hissed.

"Will you?" He smiled. "I suppose you've done it before. Still have the hip to prove it." He walked off towards the scopes. "Let me know if you think of any good names for my blade!"

Elena wanted to scream.

.

.

Kon-Mai had never been good with machines. That was her brother's territory. She had a much better time with organic things. Notably, humanoid things.

So why was she down here in Engineering, she asked herself as she peered over the counter at the many half-finished projects Shen had left out. Most were a tangle of exposed wires and cords, some plugged in and powered on, some effectively dark.

Including Vahlen's cell phone.

Kon-Mai picked it up and pressed the power button. The screen came to life and, once again, she saw that picture on the very front, displayed proudly: the Commander in a short white skirt and casual blue sweater. Vahlen stood beside her in equally relaxed clothing, their arms linked like a chain. In their free hands, they each held an ice cream cone.

She puzzled over the picture. How long ago was it taken? Senuna looked relatively younger, perhaps in the eyes, but her face always looked incredibly youthful, and her short hair added to the aesthetic. Vahlen's brown hair was long, pulled into wavy pigtails, and her green eyes were bright. Kon-Mai noticed the scientist was actually noticeably darker in skin tone than the Commander, and in fact she was also a bit taller. She definitely looked younger than in the WANTED posters.

"Whatcha doin?"

Kon-Mai jumped, dropping the phone as she whirled around and met with the smiling face of the Commander herself, who looked like she was giggling at Kon-Mai's shock.

"I am so sorry." Kon-Mai stammered, putting the phone back. "I simply...I wanted…"

"It's okay." Senuna assured her, picking the phone up and handing it back to her. "...You like that picture?"

"I just…" She struggled for the words. "That is Dr. Vahlen? In the picture?"

Senuna chuckled and sat down on a nearby stool. "Yes. I know, time took its toll on her a bit since that was taken." She stared wistfully at the phone for a moment. "...Stars. She was so young back then."

"How old were you both?" Kon-Mai leaned on the counter in absence of a stool of her own.

"Moira was twenty-two." Senuna said. "She had just been accepted to a Masters program all the way in Southern Ireland. To celebrate we went on a road trip from Munich to Barcelona. That's where we took that. Have you ever been to Barcelona, Konnie?"

Kon-Mai nodded. "Once, but never to the beaches." She examined the crashing waves in the background. "The water is so blue…"

"You'll never swim in a warmer ocean." Senuna giggled.

"So you knew the doctor, before XCOM?" Kon-Mai asked. "How did you meet her?"

"College." Senuna chirped. "I was getting bored of my current job; I was making and selling jewelry at the time, which was quaint, but I needed something new. So I went to Germany and applied to Ludwig Maxililian for another degree."

"...Another?"

"Yes. This one was in Bioinformatics. To be honest I just chose it because the name was cool~"

Kon-Mai blinked. "...What is that?"

"It's basically using computers to design software to map the human body and figure out how things tick." She giggled. "And I'm REALLY good at staring at screens and noticing patterns. Moira was in my Intro to Gene Mapping class, and we sat next to each other in the lecture hall." She smiled wistfully. "She was kinda shy back then. But I talked enough for the both of us."

"I think that is true for anyone who speaks to you." As soon as she said the words, Kon-Mai turned pink, putting a hand over her mouth to stop herself, but the words were out. "I am sorry, Commander."

Senuna laughed. "No no, it's the truth!" She winked. "I don't mind looking at myself in the mirror. Well, after I put my makeup on, that is"

.

.

It always seemed to be dark in Reaper territory.

The Darkstrider shivered; not with fear but anticipation. The clouds covering the sky gave the air a green, glowing tint and made him oh so excited. He could hear his prey slithering in the cracked streets and between the buildings, the groan of distant Lost, the gentle clatter of Chryssalids…

Gur-Rai ran his fingers along Darkclaw. "Tonight is a good night."

"Indeed." Outrider muttered. Even she couldn't argue with his excitement: it was present in all Reapers. They were all hunters. It was in their blood.

Mox, on the other hand, heard the sounds and seemed wary. "We must meet with the rendezvous soon."

"Already here."

The three turned around at the sound of the soft, scratchy voice. A young woman who was nearly as tall as the Darkstrider himself emerged from the shadows. It was hard to see in the darkness, but the coat she wore was of green snakeskin rather than the usual black leather the Reapers donned. She lowered her hood to reveal stark white hair, chopped haphazardly, and green eyes that pierced the darkness with their intensity.

"Cruzita." Elena said. "Where is Lars?"

"Behind you." From off the bridge, a short, slender man jumped into view, emerging from the darkness like a dolphin from the depths of Hell. He landed in a crouch, his gun already drawn. "There are many snakes out tonight."

"Wonderful~" Cruzita smiled, her teeth as white as her hair. "I do _so _need a new coat."

"First we weed out the Lost." Outrider said. "Then we-"

"Pardon me, Elena, but I don't think I've met your friends." Gur-Rai chuckled. In reality, they did look semi-familiar, but that part of his memory was lost to him.

Cruzita stepped up to him, looking him up and down. Despite his own great height, she was nearly up to his chin, and the burning look in her eyes was beginning to make him nervous. She looked like a cat waiting for it's prey to make a move before she pounced.

Then she put her hand out. He noticed her nails were blood red. "Cruzita de Vries."

Putting on his best smile, Gur-Rai shook her hand in return. "Gur-Rai Madron."

"I like your skin." She said, her lip twitching. "It's very smooth...and blue." Her eye seemed to twitch as well. "I _love_ the color."

"Well, I thank you." He chuckled, trying to hide the absolute terror he felt in the presence of this insane woman. He turned to the man. "And you?"

"Lars Velasco." The man said in an accent that was not quite German and not quite French. He lifted his head to nod, and Gur-Rai could see the glint of glasses under his hood.

"Now if you're done-" Outrider began.

"Hold on now, let's all go around the circle and say one interesting thing about ourselves." He laughed at the look Outrider gave him. "I'm kidding, Elena." He hauled his gun off his back. "Where do we start?"

"There is a group of Lost over by the old tailor's shop, that way." Lars pointed behind her. "I saw a pod nearby. Mostly Vipers."

"Wonderful." Elena said. "We start there then."

"And then we get the snakes." Cruzita looked excited.

"Of course." Finally, Outrider smiled. "None shall escape the Reapers' sights today."

.

.

Malinalli loved running her hands through Dhar-Mon's hair. It was so fine and delicate, with strands like pure silk. The softness was incredible, almost enviable. Her own curls took at least an hour of maintenance if not more each day, and here he had just woken up looking flawless. She often tried not to dwell on her appearance, but...how was she worth _anything_ to a being like him? Perfect, beautiful, and yet here he was, right in front of her.

As she worked, Dhar-Mon seemed to grow more and more relaxed than he had been when she first arrived. His stiff posture was beginning to unwind, and his robe slipped off one shoulder, and that was when she saw it. The skin under was splotchy, a mix of light blue skin and dark blue scar tissue, and Malinalli felt a pang in her chest. Not thinking, she reached out to touch it. He flinched, hissing.

"I'm sorry!" She gasped. "Does that hurt? I'm so sorry."

"No." He whimpered, and it was an obvious lie. He went to pull his robe back around him but...then he stopped.

Her fingers tingled, and she had to ask. "...Did the Elders do that?"

"...Usually they did not leave marks." He let his robe drop more, until the entirety of his back was exposed. Instead of dark scars like on his shoulder, there were lines, soft criss-crossing ones, They seemed to glow like his veins did and if you blinked, you'd miss them. But as Malinalli reached out to touch them, she could feel the heat radiating off of them.

"Do they hurt?" She asked.

"One can grow accustomed to pain…" He muttered.

"Not this." She sighed. "I'm a nurse. I can't let these just sit." She touched them again and her fingers prickled even more, as though her hands were falling asleep. "Wait right here." She stood up. "I'm going to grab something."

"Wait, Mali-" He called out to her. "Did I upset you?"

"No, not you." She gave him her warmest smile. "I'm just gonna get something to help you feel better."

"...Did the Elders upset you?"

"The Elders always upset me." She spat. "Now moreso than usual."

.

.

"And then there was one time…" Senuna pressed a hand to her face. "Oh my god, I can't believe we did this."

"What happened?" Kon-Mai pressed her.

"Okay: we had just come back from a party where there was lots of beer, and we SHOULD NOT have been driving, both of us were pretty wasted. But since I handle my alcohol better, I was behind the wheel, and Moira was in the passenger seat." She continued. "Well we're driving, the road is completely clear, I'm going...I forget how fast, but probably too fast, and Mora decides to crawl out the window and car surf on the roof."

Kon-Mai thought back to the Sectopod she had fought and shook on instinct. "That sounds terrifying. Why would she do something so dangerous?"

"It was college, she was young and we were both very stupid." Senuna sighed. "So she's on top of the car, and all of a sudden this REALLY sharp turn pops up. I hit the breaks as fast as possible; the car fucking _spins_, and I heard this loud 'KA-THUNK' as Moira topples off the roof and into the street."

Kon-Mai gasped. "Was she alright?"

"She was fine, except for her knees." Senuna chuckled. "It's funny now but at the time, oh stars, it was so scary. She'd landed on her knees and basically tore the skin right off. Like, you could see bone, it was that bad."

Kon-Mai put a hand on her mouth, and would have gagged if she had the ability. "What on Earth did you do?!"

"You'd think we'd have gone to the hospital." Senuna shrugged. "Nope. We found a Drogeriemarkt and I wrapped up her knees in gauze and tape in the bathroom of the drug store." Senuna sighed. "And that's when I learned healthcare was not for me~"

Kon-Mai nodded dubiously. "...You two had such adventures together."

"We did. She was…" Senuna stopped on that word, "was." It seemed to drain the happiness from her eyes. "...She was my best friend. We made so many stupid decisions, but we kept each other safe."

Kon-Mai smiled. "I know how comforting that is, Commander. And I'm happy you know as well."

.

.

The darkness surrounded the Reapers like a warm blanket, and within its confines, they were safe. Gur-Rai especially cherished the warm embrace, like a mother's hug. He could see everything from the shadows.

_"Now remember. The Lost are drawn to explosions." _Outrider's voice was scratchy in the comms._ "No grenades or claymores yet."_

"Understood." Mox said, the only one who didn't seem enthralled by the darkness. He held his own, probably a side effect of being married to Elena, but he'd never be a Reaper, in love with the shadows themselves.

Gur-Rai took up a vantage point on top of an old warehouse and crouched down, looking through his sights. There were the Lost, and behind them, there was the old capsule of radioactive material, glowing green and smelling like sulfur. Being near it made his skin tingle, almost like the static that came with Psionic energy.

_"I'm taking the first shot."_ Cruzita said over comm.

_"Affirmative."_ Elena said. _"Lars, on overwatch."_

_"Verstehe."_

There was a moment of silence broken only by the gentle moaning of the Lost. Then a bullet ripped through the darkness. Then another. Then another. Then another. Four lost fell dead in rapid succession, and the rest looked around in confusion as to where that had come from. A cackling laugh pierced the blanket of darkness around them. She might have been creepy, but at least Cruzita had the skills to pay the bills.

Mox came next. His gun was nowhere near as accurate as a sniper rifle, but he was still on the ground, within a few deadly feet of his target. He poked his head out from around a corner, and with everyone holding their breath, mowed down three more lost.

"You're up, Elena." Gur-Rai purred.

_"For the last time. You will refer to me as OUTRIDER."_ She snapped in a display of anger Gur-Rai rarely heard from her. _"And do NOT mock me, Darkstrider. I have fought more battles than you ever saw in your days with the Elders."_

"I don't doubt that." He chuckled. "I'm only trying to help."

_"You want to help? Do not speak to me unless I speak first."_ He heard a gunshot, and three Lost dropped as the bullet cut through their skulls. _"Are we clear?"_

"...Yeah." He muttered. "Crystal."

They sat in silence for a bit, only speaking to pass the baton to one another each time it was their turn to shoot. Gur-Rai kept his mouth shut, his aim slightly off, missing more Lost than he hit. It bugged him. Outrider's comments were stuck in his head, playing on repeat. Maybe he _had _been goofing off. Maybe he crossed some line he didn't know was there. But why in the Void's name was it _always his fault?_

As the number of Lost began to dwindle, he heard a hissing noise behind him and ceased his fire. "Outrider." He hissed. "Something is behind you."

Outrider didn't answer, but he could hear her moving.

He repeated his statement. "There's something on this roof. I'm going to relocate and I think you should too."

_"There's nothing here, Darkstrider."_ She snapped. _"I've already swept the area."_

He wanted to believe her. But now, he could feel the slow creep of something slithering along the roof tiles. The hissing noise grew louder and he could hear it in Outrider's comm too.

"Mox." He leaned over the roof, trying to yell and whisper at the same time. "I need your help! Come get Elena!"

"What?!" Mox yelled up to him. He couldn't hear him, and if Gur-Rai yelled, Elena was sure to kill him. With no other option, he sat in the darkness and put a hand on his machete, as the hissing came up behind him and rose, ready to strike.

Then Elena screamed. Something darted through the darkness towards him just as Gur-Rai whipped around, pulled his machete from his belt, and cut the encroaching Viper across the snout. It reeled back, blood spraying all over the Chosen man as it shook it's head and hissed at him in pain and anger.

Instead of staying to fight, the Darkstrider took off to the other end of the roof, set up in a crouch, and aimed at the Viper that had recovered and was now careening toward him. He didn't even have time to make a quip before he sloppily aimed and took the shot. The Viper fell dead, just as Mox's ripjack pulled him onto the adjacent roof, where Elena was wrestling with her own Viper.

Lars was waiting, aiming with his rifle for a free shot, meanwhile Cruzita had dove to the ground and landed on the back of a third Viper that no one had even noticed. Black knife in her hand, she was riding it like a merry go round. Lars, instead, turned to that one and shot, but he aimed wide and missed.

Gur-Rai shot his grappling hook to the other roof and pulled himself over, just as the Viper bit down on Elena's shoulder, drawing a huge amount of blood and venom. She staggered backward and fell, where Mox caught her and hauled her off to one side, ready to block the next strike with his own body.

Gur-Rai was going to make sure he didn't have to.

Landing behind the snake, he took a shot with Darkclaw, cutting through the snake's flap and drawing a trickle of blood. It whirled around and shrieked at him, and just as he was about to grab his blade, the snake lunged at his arm and sank it's fangs into the metal plating of his armor. Normally that could stop bullets, but he could feel those fangs graze his skin. As he tried to pull back, they only dug deeper.

He fell backward, the snake still attached to him and now beginning to wrap around him, tail around his neck.

"You're just like my ex." He choked out. "She liked choking too." He broke off as the tail squeezed his windpipe and cut off his air. He tried to reach around for his rife, but he was fucking laying on it so that wouldn't work.

"Out, demon!" The rapid fire of a bullpup cut through the air, as well the snake that was holding Gur-Rai. The grip loosened just enough for him to wrench himself out of her grasp and grab Darklance off his back. As the bleeding Viper made one more lunge for him, he fired into her face. She fell back, bleeding and dead.

Before Gur-Rai could even say "thank fuck," another hiss to his right set him off. He rolled to the side as another snake lashed out at him. "HOW MANY OF YOU ARE THERE?!"

"Too many!" Outrider cried. "We...we need to evacuate."

"Bryni, we need a pick-" He gasped, scrambling back as the Viper went for him again. In his hurry to get away, he tripped and slammed headfirst into the pavement. He heard the clatter of his comm link falling out of his ear and hitting the ground, as the Viper teeth sank into the fleshy skin of the back of his knee.

He cried out and yanked, the teeth tearing his flesh as he broke free and, with sheer tenacity, reached out and pulled Darklance towards him. The Viper reared up, bearing down on him, and he let out a hiss of his own and pounded three bullets into her chest, her ribs exploding in blood and venom.

Despite the pain in his leg, Gur-Rai stood. "Outrider, what's the plan?"

Outrider —Elena —looked green and her eyes were unfocused. Mox leaned down and helped her to her feet, and she kept most of her weight on him. "The venom, it's…"

"I know." He could already feel his leg tingling, and it was getting hard to breathe. "What's the plan, Elena?"

She shook her head. To clear it? Maybe. But she didn't say anything after. Mox was practically carrying her.

"Cruzita." Mox called.

_"Down here!"_ She called through the comm. Something was squelching in the background.

"How many more snakes do you suspect there are?"

_"Probably two…"_ She paused. _"Lars says three. I already have enough for a whole new wardrobe."_

_"No, at least four."_ Lars clarified. _"I took down another one that was coming up behind me."_

"We must evacuate." Mox said. "Elena needs medical attention."

"I'm fi-" She broke off, her head lolling briefly. Mox caught her before she fell. "I'm okay…"

"You're not." Gur-Rai insisted. "And I'm not. And my comm is dead."

"Firebrand is watching." Mox said. "Do we have a flare?"

"I have a gun." He said. "Not sure she'll see it though."

_"Do we have antivenom?"_ Cruzita called from below.

Gur-Rai shook his head. "I probably should have thought to bring some."

Mox growled, holding Elena close to him. "We must seek medical attention. Lars, Cruzita, begin scouring the area for supplies. Anything that can be used to slow poison."

_"I see planes on the horizon."_ Lars said.

"No doubt they're bringing in reinforcements." Mox said. "We must retreat."

Gur-Rai set up beside the two with his rifle poised. "Well then, get ready to shoot your way out of here."

.

.

Malinalli caught a stray dribble of Aloe Vera as she slathered it on the remains of Dhar-Mon's open wounds. He insisted they no longer hurt, but she could feel him relax as she did this. The unclenching of his muscles was noticeable.

"Has anyone ever tended to these?" She asked.

"...No." He admitted.

"Not...not even the priests? Your own servants?"

"They were the Elders' markings." Dhar-Mon said, almost leaning back into her touch. "And thus, if they left scars, they were meant to remain untreated, reminders of my failure."

Malinalli swallowed the lump in her throat. "...I'm so sorry…"

"Do not apologize, little phantom." He smiled back at her. "Your presence makes me forget the pain."

She blinked, then smiled at him. "I'm happy…" She said softly. "I'm happy you say that…"

He turned back around, and she laid her fingers in the crevice of one particularly deep scar, her finger tracing half-dead tissue. Running it down his back, she felt that prickling again. She closed her eyes, just working up the courage to keep going, keep looking at all this. It was so horrible.

When Malinalli opened her eyes, she gasped. "The cuts!"

Dhar-Mon cried out, not so much in pain, as in surprise. As Malinalli watched, the tips of her fingers glowed with the deep blue-green of her own psionic power. Around her hand, the skin began to shift, molding itself back together, enclosing the long exposed flesh. She dared not move as the largest gash finally fused back together, a faint line the only trace it was ever there.

"Oh my god…" She whispered. "...Tell me you felt that."

"What was it?" Dhar-Mon asked. "I felt...tingling."

"Your cut just...It just…" She covered her mouth. "It's healed. It's gone."

"What?!" He jumped up, forgetting his robe had fallen off, and ran to the bathroom, turning to look at his back in the mirror. "..._Nalla itzar_…" He whispered. "Malinalli, you…" He looked at her, smiling widely with tears in his eyes.

She burst out laughing, her own face wet, and jumped up, running to him and throwing herself into his arms for a hug. "I healed you! I healed you!"

Dhar-Mon picked her up off the ground and squeezed her. "Thank you little phantom…" As his faculties returned to him, he quickly dropped her and grabbed a towel, wrapping it about his waist. "I-I am so sorry, I-"

"No, it's fine, it's fine!" She giggled. "We've seen each other naked before, it's fine." She wrapped her arm around and felt his back again. "How did I do that…?"

"You have an aura of healing." He chuckled. "I do not know…perhaps your psionics are stronger than I once thought…"

"Psionics…" Malinalli began to look around. "Hey, do you have something sharp?"

"What do you need something sharp for?" He looked wary.

"Nevermind. Let me…" Malinalli rolled her sleeve up and bit down on her arm. She cried out a little bit as she drew blood, then held out her hand. "Try it, Dhar-Mon. Try and heal me."

"Why would you do that?!"

"So I can test it! I have an idea! If it is psionics then you can do it too!" She nodded. "So give it a shot. Try and heal me."

"What if I can't?!"

"Then I'll put a band-aid on it, I'm a nurse." She took his hand and laced it with her own. "Just give it a try, Dhar-Mon."

He sighed loudly and patted her arm. There it was, the tingling. "It will not work."

"Yes it will." She winked. "I know it~"

.

.

"Tomko…?"

Gur-Rai shook his head to clear the fog that was coming in. He could feel the venom in his veins, blurring his vision and leaving him sluggish and slow. His alien blood could synthesize it better. It probably wouldn't kill him. Probably. Elena however…

He looked over at the sound of her voice. She lay back against the wall, her shoulder wound already beginning to ooze. Her eyes were clouded, pale grey in this cold orange light. Gur-Rai raised a brow and, reaching up, lowered his hood. "Elena…"

She blinked at him, slowly. "No." She hissed. "You're not him."

"I know." He put his hood back up. "I'm not trying to be."

"I don't want you back." She spat, her voice shaking. "You're not him, not anymore. And it's too late."

"I know Elena." He growled. His whole body was burning and _this _was not helping.

_"I hate you."_ She said, and this time he heard her voice breaking. "I hate you because you took Tomko. You killed him. You killed him and took him away from me…"

Gur-Rai turned to look at her again. "How did I kill him, Elena?"

"You…" She searched her venom saturated mind for an answer that made sense. "You're wearing his skin…"

"No. He's wearing mine." Gur-Rai hissed. "Tomko is the foundation I am built on. I WAS Tomko, Elena, you know it and so do I."

That seemed to startle her, even scare her, and her eyes filled with tears. "...Why did you kill him…?"

"Because fate is a cruel bitch." The Darkstrider snarled. "Maybe it was chance, wrong place, wrong time. Or maybe Tomko was always destined to end up in the tank, and from the moment he was born your love was doomed. But however it happened, it's OVER, Elena. Tomko is dead; for the love of the stars, let him die with some FUCKING DIGNITY."

Elena seemed to crumble at that, large hot tears streaming down her face. "I miss him…"

He turned away. "Yeah. I miss him too."

_"Darkstrider."_ Mox hissed into his comm. _"I have visual of the second pod."_

"Finally some good news." Gur-Rai rubbed his eyes. If he'd had a stomach, he'd have felt like throwing up by now. Instead, he just felt like someone was rearranging his organs. "Elena is down for the count."

The silence that followed conveyed Mox's fear. _"And you?"_

"I can shoot." He assured him. "Just...don't expect heroics."

"I will not expect much." Mox assured him. "Lars and Cruzita, get into an overwatch position."

_"Yessir."_ Cruzita sang. Gur-Rai saw her and Lars each get on either side of an awning, just as three Vipers and a Sectoid came marching down the street.

Only three? That seemed odd. Gur-Rai felt that prickling on his skin again. "Be careful, you two."

_"Careful?"_ Cruzita giggled. _"Never heard of-"_ Her words morphed into a scream as the awning came down, sending them tumbling into the grasp of the Sectoid and two Vipers.

"Shitshitshitshit!" Gur-Rai fired off one shot blind and, off course, missed. But he did manage to draw the Sectoid's attention, who turned and, upon seeing him, let out a screech that shook him to his core.

"MOX!" He screamed, reaching for Elena. "TIME TO RUN!"

"No…" Elena tried to wriggle out of his grip, obviously delirious. "No, not without Tomko…!"

"Tomko is dead!" Gur-Rai hissed.

"No, they took Tomko!" She screamed and pulled away. "I have to save him!"

"Elena!" Gur-Rai snapped. "You have a husband, remember?! A husband that ain't Tomko! Even if he were alive-"

"I know that!" She screeched, her voice wavering as she tried to balance her rifle on her torn shoulder and aim for the Sectoid. "But he's more!"

"More than WHAT?!" Gur-Rai yanked the gun away. "This isn't the time to be star crossed lovers!"

"I let him go!" She cried. "It's my fault he is gone! It's my fault they took him! I can't let him die again!" She tried to grab the gun, slipped and fell. Gur-Rai caught her arm and lowered her slowly, watching as she dissolved into tears.

"...It's not your fault, Elena." He whispered. He knelt down beside her, and looked into her eyes. "...I'm Tomko."

Her unfocused gaze turned to him. "...Tomko…?" She smiled.

"Yep." He smirked. "And I'm gonna hold off the Vipers for you. Your husband is coming, so go with him ok?"

Elena blinked. "...I'm married now…" She looked so happy, and yet so sad. "I didn't wait for you…"

"I didn't want you to…" He wasn't sure if it was the venom that was making him dizzy, but he felt light headed. "Just go, Elena. You don't have to save me." He stood up. "I can do that myself."

There were footsteps behind him, and Mox came running up, obviously out of breath. The second Elena saw him, her eyes lit up and she crawled to him, throwing her arms around his neck as he knelt down. "My love…" She whispered.

"I have made contact with Firebrand." Mox panted. "She is en route. We must move to the rooftop of the building with the large "Staples" sign."

"Gotcha." Gur-Rai shifted, his leg nearly collapsing in on itself from the pain. He could feel his wound swelling but also knew if he took off his boot to look, he'd never get it back on again, so he hoped and prayed that the pressure applied somehow helped.

"I love you, Pratal…" Elena whimpered as Mox lifted her into his arms.

"And I love you Elena…" Mox hesitated. "Cruzita and Lars are in position."

"Good." Gur-Rai looked out over the dark streets. "I'll cover you while you get Elena there."

"Are you certain?"

"No." He sighed. "But it's the least I can do for dying."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing."

.

.

"You have done so much, Commander." Kon-Mai mused, watching as Senuna played with the accessible buttons on the phone. "And you have learned so much. An intelligent woman like you; why did you not strive for a doctorate as well?"

"Eh." Senuna shrugged. "Maybe I would've, given more time. It just takes so long and..._normal _things don't hold my interest for very long." She chuckled.

"And yet, XCOM?" Kon-Mai raised a brow.

"You could say XCOM was a family business." She giggled. "My father founded it, it was only natural I take over~"

"Your father…?" It was strange to hear that. "I've never heard you discuss your family before, Commander."

"Well, he wasn't my 'biological' father: I was adopted, you see. But he raised me, taught me everything I know...everything Earth had to offer." She leaned on her hand. "You know he was a Doctor, he would have loved for me to get a doctorate but...that just ain't me."

Kon-Mai wanted to ask who WAS the Commander then. Who was Senuna, the woman who sat before her? But it all felt so intrusive. It was all right there on the surface and yet, still it felt as though Kon-Mai was unintentionally twisting the knife in an already deep wound.

"How did you convince Dr. Vahlen to join XCOM?" She asked, trying to change the subject back to something light hearted.

"Oh, that was difficult. You know she was actually scared? Vahlen! Scared!" Senuna laughed. "It's so funny to think...I think she was afraid to leave the family she'd built in Ireland. But things were starting to head south with her boyfriend, and she has a tendency to cut ties and run." Senuna shrugged. "I convinced her to leave. It was hard for her to go, but she was happier here. And she was the best Chief Scientist we ever had before Tygan."

Kon-Mai nodded, smiling whimsically. "You must miss her…"

"...Yeah." Senuna sniffled. "Every day." She went to stand up. "We should probably get going."

"Going…?"

"If you want to greet your brother on his return." Senuna chuckled. "Firebrand is coming back."

"I had not realized!" Kon-Mai straightened up. "Will you lead, Commander?"

"I'll poke my head in, since I'm already heading that way." She turned to the door. "What about you?"

Kon-Mai looked puzzled. "Who are you…?"

"Not you." Senuna winked and cupped her hands over her mouth. "Wanna join us, Jane?"

Kon-Mai looked at the empty doorway...no. Not empty. Something was there…a wisp of brown hair as the shadow pulled away. "Major Kelly?"

Slowly, Jane Kelly poked her head out from around the corner and stood at attention, completely silent.

"Were you listening the whole time?" Senuna laughed. "You could have joined us!"

"I apologize, Commander." Was all Jane said. "I became...wrapped up in the stories."

Senuna raised a brow. "...About Vahlen?"

"...Yes, Madam."

"Hm. You would, huh?" She approached Jane slowly. "Don't flinch, child, you're not in trouble."

Jane nodded, but Kon-Mai saw her face turning red.

"Konnie, go ahead without me." She turned back to Kon-Mai. "I'll meet you there."

"Yes, Commander." Kon-Mai bowed and pushed past the two. As she left, she heard Senuna whispering something to Jane, in a voice barely above silence.

_"She'd be proud of you. You know that, right?"_

Kon-Mai held her head high and went on her way.

.

.

Dhar-Mon watched in wonder as the wound on Malinalli's arm began to shimmer, then the skin stretched and closed itself back together. At first a scar remained, then even that faded, until all that was left was a slight discolored patch that was barely visible.

Malinalli looked up in wonder. "...Dhar-Mon. This is…"

"This is magic." He said. He had known psionics could do a lot: they could bend the will of even the strongest mind or tear apart space itself, but...heal? He had never known this cosmic energy to be able to regenerate.

"Think of all the lives we could save!" She grabbed his hands. "We could teach others! Start a whole clinic based on psionic healing! She giggled. "You and me!"

"You and me?" He hesitated. "And you would want me there?"

"Of course! I lo…" There she went again, stopping herself. Her dark skin turned almost red as she blushed. "You're my best friend."

"nd you are mine." He smiled warmly. "My closest friend besides my siblings. I would trust you with my life, Molly."

She pressed a hand to her cheek and beamed. "Thank you, Dhar-Mon, that's all I ever want." She straightened up. "We were supposed to go practice but-"

"Technically, we did." He chuckled. "And we have developed something even greater because of it."

"How about you get dressed then?" She giggled. "Your brother is coming back from his mission, we should show him our new trick."

"He will undoubtedly need healing." Dhar-Mon chuckled. "Let me dress myself, then I shall come along."

"Mind if I wait in here? I won't look." She promised. She really wanted to look. But that would be weird.

"I suppose." He chuckled. His hair was still in a braid. He decided to leave it.

.

.

The Darkstrider stepped off the Skyranger and into the arms of his sister, who was waiting for him. Her smile was worried, even more so when she saw Elena's injuries. "What have you all done now?"

"Nothin'." Gur-Rai muttered as he collapsed in her embrace. As soon as she had a good on him, his leg finally gave out, and damn near took the two of them to the ground together. Kon-Mai gave a yell of surprise that was mirrored by his brother's voice, as Dhar-Mon and Malinalli entered the garage as well. Immediately, Kon-Mai called for the nurse, but he waved her aside.

"Outrider first." He croaked. "Then me."

"Outrider?!" Malinalli rushed onto the Skyranger. _"Oh!"_

Dhar-Mon knelt beside his brother. "He has been poisoned."

"Viper venom. I'll be fine." He smiled. His teeth were chattering together and he couldn't stop them.

"He's burning up." Kon-Mai snapped, laying her cool hands on his forehead. "We need antivenom. Get Tygan."

"Wait, Sister…" Dhar-Mon held out his hand. "This...works for wounds. I do not know how it will work for poison…"

"What works?" She watched as Dhar-Mon lowered his hand over Gur-Rai.

"Where were you bitten?"

"Leg…" He coughed. "Left leg…"

"That one consistently gives you trouble…" Kon-Mai sighed.

Dhar-Mon picked up his leg and undid the Velcro on his armor, pulling down the legwarmer, then the boot. The wound was already inflamed and oozing, and the skin around it was beginning to turn black.

He pressed his bare palm to it, and within a moment, both Chosen felt the tingling of psionics. Gur-Rai reached up, grabbing Kon-Mai's jacket and hissing with the discomfort this brought. Then, he suddenly relaxed.

The wound closed beneath Dhar-Mon's touch. The swelling melted away, the regular blue pallor returning to Gur-Rai's leg. Soon all that was left were two, fain bite marks.

Kon-Mai looked up at Dhar-Mon like he was made of gold. "How did you do this…?"

Dhar-Mon smiled. "Molly discovered it. I merely learned from her." He stood up. "Molly! Do you need help?!"

"Her wounds are a lot worse!" Malinalli called. "But...I think I got her stable. Can someone get Tygan?"

"I will go!" Mox said. Then he stopped as Elena reached out and grabbed his arm. "I will not go!"

"I will." Dhar-Mon stood. "He will want to hear about these...new talents of ours anyway."

.

.

Back in the med bay, once again. This time, the lights were all off except for the one in Tygan's little corner office. Gur-Rai bobbed his foot back and forth, side to side. It felt fine, but he was still running a fever from the venom, so Tygan had insisted on keeping him overnight, the absolute worrywort.

He looked over at Elena, in the bed beside him. She had been in much worse shape than him, having to get a blood transfusion due to the venom coursing through her. With that, and the antivenom they'd pumped her full of, she'd managed to pull through, but to be honest there had never been any doubt that she would make it. Mox was sitting beside her in an uncomfortable-looking chair, but he had drifted off and was snoring lightly.

"Hey." Gur-Rai called quietly. "You awake?"

"Yes." She said, turning to face him. "Unfortunately. " Her entire arm was bandaged and wrapped in a sling, and her skin was pale. She had definitely taken the venom worse than he had.

There was a silence between the two, and Gur-Rai wanted to say something. "I'm sorry." He said.

Elena growled. "Shut up."

"Look, I'm try-" He began, but she cut him off.

"I'm the one who is sorry." She hissed. "If I hadn't...if I'd listened to you, this wouldn't have happened and I wouldn't be in hospice right now." She sighed and laid her head on the pillow. "...I've been cruel to you this whole time."

"Well, I'm sorry for dying on you." He said. "That was pretty rude of me."

Elena's eyes went wide. "...Darkstrider, how much...do you remember?"

"About?"

"...About Tomko." He could read her face. She had meant to say, "about me."

He looked up at the ceiling. "I remember you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He raised a hand to his lips. "...We were a couple."

"..Yes. We were." She sounded so broken. "And I...I loved-" She covered her mouth, leaving the sentence to hang.

"I know." He sighed. "You loved Tomko."

"You're just like him." She sobbed softly. "You talk just like him, you act like him, whenever I look at you…it's like he's back and…" Her voice was shaking but so silent, Gur-Rai had to strain to hear her. "I'm happy with Pratal, I love him so much, but I feel so cheated whenever I look at you, I look and think...you should be Tomko."

He nodded. "You're right." He said. "I should be Tomko." He turned on his side to face her. "What the Elders did...it was a fucking crime. And it can't be forgiven or undone." He looked her in the eye, his glowing irises cutting through the darkness. "But there's no future for us, Elena. Not anymore."

"I know." She sniffled. "I'll never regret marrying Pratal. Just...if they hadn't taken you...do you think there was? Do you think…?" She let it hang.

He waited for a moment, breathing deeply. The silence was enough to destroy them he spoke.

"No." He said. "Sorry, Elena...we were young. We were in a war. We were excited and...it all caught up to us." He looked at her. "I loved you in the moment. And maybe Tomko always will. But we'd never have worked out."

He heard her sob almost silently, and she turned away from him for a moment. And for a second he wondered if she was going to kill him. Wouldn't that be a good way to die. He always knew it'd be at the hands of one of his lovers.

Then she looked up and, for once, her eyes were smiling. "That's all I needed to hear." She said.

"...It was?"

"Yes." She said, turning toward Mox, who was still sleeping. "Tomko is gone now. We're not…" She took his hand, and in his sleep Mox squeezed hers. "I'm not. And he's not."

"See? There you go." Gur-Rai gestured to the still sleeping Mox. "You two were meant for each other."

"I suppose we are. Fate does have a strange way of operating."

"Kind of like us Reapers." He chuckled, turning over so she couldn't see his face.

He felt terrible for lying to her, for saying they had no future. For not telling her that, if Tomko had lived, he would have followed Elena through Hell and back. That Tomko would always love her, even in death. That he regretted not asking for her hand while he was alive...

But that was all in the past now. She was happy. And that was more than he'd ever wanted in this world.

.

.

The Sectoid that limped into the chamber, accompanied by two guards, immediately drew Vox Imdugud's attention. He straightened his crippled back and floated over, looking down at the pathetic slave creature. **"You have news for me of great importance."**

The Sectoid nodded, dropping to it's knees. _**"Vox Zagre is alive."**_ The pulses from it's mind were frantic and almost painful. _**"Please warn the others. The Chosen live, and they have betrayed us all**_."

* * *

(The beginning of this chapter sees our gang returning from their previous mission and handing over Vahlen's phone to Senuna, who sends it to Shen to be hacked. The next morning, Malinalli comes to visit Dhar-Mon and braid his hair, while Elena and Mox prepare for another mission with their former arch nemesis. Kon-Mai begins investigating the abandoned phone and, upon being found by Senuna, begins talking with the Commander about her past with Vahlen. The two met in college, and partook in many wild adventures before Vahlen went to South Ireland for a Masters program. On the Reaper's mission, Gur-Rai meets two other Reapers, Cruzita de Vries and Lars Velasco, and Elena is obviously still holding a grudge against the Chosen, making it hard for the two to work together. Soon, they are ambushed by Vipers, leading to both Gur-Rai and Elena being wounded. On the subject of wounds, Malinalli finds old scars on Dhar-Mon's back from his days with the Elders, and accidentally discovers that her psionics have the power to heal injuries. Still out in danger, Elena talks with Gur-Rai as though he were his human self, Tomko, and the two argue until they are extracted by Firebrand, leaving the last pod unkilled. Kon-Mai and Senuna leave to welcome Gur-Rai home, but Senuna is distracted by Jane Kelly, who was listening in on their conversation about Vahlen. Upon returning, Gur-Rai collapsed and Dhar-Mon uses his new psionic healing to treat his brother's leg wound. Elena and Gur-Rai are transferred to the infirmary, where they talk about the past, and eventually come to an understanding.

Long one today, and I feel it was too brief in parts. But do let me know what you think!)


	24. Fly Like an Eagle, Run Like a Wolf

(Content Warning: This chapter contains brief descriptions of gore.)

The street was glowing with fire, the moans of the Lost carried through the desolate waste that was the remains of New York. The city had long ago been lost to the pods, and with said pods came the frankly beautiful plant growth that had begun to infest the streets, tinting everything natural green. Trees wrapped around buildings, roots cut across the roadways. New York, once the city that never slept, was now at peace with the call of the wild.

The firelight glinted off of Lars's glasses as he and Cruzita sat on opposite sides of the fire. She had a Viper's corpse laid out in front of her, and was using the tip of her black-bladed knife to split the delicate, scaled skin down the middle. Pulling apart the flesh, her skinny fingers dove into the mammary-like appendages on the Viper's chest, and clawed out the still full venom sacs. Cruzita smiled joyfully and held them up. "Poison."

"I see." Lars chuckled at her enthusiasm. To the other Reapers she was a terror, but he had long since gotten used to her quirks. "What are you planning to do with it, Cruz?"

"I don't know yet." She put them delicately to one side. "Maybe taint my knife, but poison bullets are so useful too, and we haven't had many of those."

Lars looked down at the gun on his lap. "A game of poison paintball?"

"And a paintbrush for you." She giggled, cracking open the Viper's ribs with her bare hands. "With bristles made of Chryssalid antennae, and paint made of venom."

"Perhaps." He sighed. "Oh, part of me still misses my old paints, with colors that were bright and happy…"

Cruzita looked up at him, then at the large, empty-looking building they sat under. The windows were black, but every so often they flickered with activity. It let her know her comrades were still watching.

"When the war is over, perhaps I shall return to Larochette." Lars continued. "_If _my old studio is there."

"This war will never be over." Cruzita, with one fluid motion, folded the skin from the Viper corpse and ripped it free; bloody, but in one piece. "Not while these _monsters _are still here."

Lars sighed. "Cruz, you must-"

Her green eyes bore holes in him. "You have something to go back to, Lars." She hissed. "I am not that lucky."

"You have me." He slid over beside her. She dwarfed him, but that was another fact he had accepted years ago. He reached for her bloody hand, entwining his fingers with hers. "This war will not be over until you free this hatred from your heart, mein chér."

She looked past his glasses and into his blue-grey eyes. "This hatred is what keeps us safe." She whispered. "It keeps me afraid, and it keeps me alive."

.

.

Dhar-Mon would never admit that he saw things in the shadows.

Ugly faces (like his own) stared at him from corners where innocuous objects lay. He tried turning over in bed, pulling the covers over himself like a frightened child, but even then he could feel their evil eyes staring at him, watching him.

He'd had trouble sleeping before; this was in no way a new thing. But in his stronghold, he had always had the constant whispering of the Elders to reassure him that he was not alone. Even when they were berating him, insulting him for failure or even threatening to reclaim him, he was at least with someone. He was at least not alone.

Now they were gone. And now he was alone, and the demons were approaching fast.

Dhar-Mon's large hand darted out from under the blanket and turned on his bedside light, sending the shadows scurrying back into hiding, as though they had never been there. He looked around for a moment, checking to ensure he really was alone. That seemed to only make it worse.

He glanced at the clock. 4:45. His sister would be awake soon, but she did not like being disturbed during her meditation, and the thought of asking his _baby sister_ for help because HE had trouble sleeping...it was a humiliating prospect at best.

He pulled the blankets to his chin and took a shaky breath, his heart pounding in his chest. It almost exploded when someone knocked at the door.

Dhar-Mon had never been so terrified in his life, except maybe in the presence of his cruel mother, Abyzou. With his voice softer and weaker than he was used to, he called out "You may enter."

The door slid open and a very sleepy Malinalli stepped inside. Her curly hair was wild and messy, and her green eyes were still clouded.

"Hey." She murmured in a hushed voice. "Is everything okay?"

He paused. "...All is...well." He was lying through his teeth. "What makes you question me at such an early hour?"

"I...dunno. Just felt something was wrong." She shrugged. "I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. Something just told me to come see you." She blinked, her eyes finally focusing on him. "You look awful, have you slept at all tonight?"

He tried to say yes, but like a child, he felt tears welling up that he couldn't stop. "...No." He whimpered.

"Why? What happened?" Malinalli sat on his bed, looking so worried. It made him feel even worse, but now the floodgates were open.

"When the lights are off, and I am alone…" He sniffled. "I imagine shadows in the darkness, reaching out with great clawed hands to grab me in the night, where I will be...stolen away."

Malinalli relaxed and let loose a soft chuckle. "Dhar-Mon, I...we'd never let that happen."

"You would not get there in time." He snapped. "I am...afraid to sleep alone." He was dying from the shame. "My mind used to be consoled by the Elders' presence. No matter how toxic, at least they were there…"

Malinalli reached out and grasped his hand. "There's nothing wrong with being scared of the dark." She chuckled. "I'd offer to sleep here with you, but that'd be weird I think…" He could swear he saw the hint of a blush on her face when she said it. In fact, he wanted to scream yes, please, sleep here. But that would be inappropriate. He was not his brother, after all.

She stood up. "I might have an idea. Are you dressed?"

He nodded. "In my sleeping clothes."

"Good, follow me." She took his hand and, with her tiny strength, hauled him to his feet. He felt safer with her hand in his.

She pulled him down the empty halls of the Avenger. Nobody was awake at this hour, except a few he could tell hadn't gone to sleep yet. She made her way to the girl's dorm, where Dhar-Mon stood outside the door, refusing to enter the sleeping quarters of so many women.

When Malinalli returned, she was holding something large and fluffy looking in her arms. She closed the door as quietly as she could, then held it out to him. "This is Glaucus."

"...I beg your pardon?" He asked, looking down at the...stuffed...creature.

"I named him Glaucus because of his ears." She lifted one of the animal's fluffy ears. "They're blue underneath. And so is his mane." She patted the blue tuft of fur on top of it's head. "Glaucus is my old stuffed horse."

"A stuffed horse?" He took the plush creature from her hands. It looked cartoonish, with floppy limbs and huge, glass eyes that stared off into space. "...I have seen pictures of horses, Malinalli. There is no possibility this is the result of taxidermy."

Malinalli laughed until she remembered she had to be quiet. "No no, it's not. It's supposed to look fake." She clarified. "Stuffed animals are made to look cute and inviting. It's comforting."

He looked over the creature again. It was weirdly cute. "What am I meant to do with this?"

"It's to sleep with." Malinalli said. "You cuddle it in your sleep. It helps you feel safe."

"And how is a stuffed horse going to protect me from the darkness of my own imagination?" He growled.

She almost seemed to deflate, the enthusiasm leaving her eyes. "Well I mean...it works for me."

Seeing her without her beaming smile made his heart hurt in a way he did not know it could. Desperate, he looked over the creature again and smiled. "If you say it helps, Molly, then I shall trust your judgement. You have never led me astray yet, I doubt you would now."

She smiled again, but looked nervous. "...You sure I never did?"

"I am certain." He bowed. "Thank you for this generous gift…"

"Always, Dhar-Mon…" She looked like she wanted to say something else. "Um…have a good night, okay?"

"I shall try." He said, almost sadly, as he watched her slip back into the women's barracks.

.

.

Gur-Rai shook out his leg as Tygan unwrapped his bandages. "Thanks Doc." The skin around the healed wound still tangled a bit, but overall, it was like he'd never even been bit.

"You can _thank_ me by being more careful." Tygan sighed. "It seems as though after every mission you end up here."

"But how could I resist the calls for help by my fellow soldiers?" Gur-Rai chuckled. "Elena was in danger, Doc. It was I who saved her."

"We need soldiers, not heroes." Tygan stood and walked over to where Elena lay, her shoulder still bandaged tightly. "Hm. I might keep this on a bit longer. This wound has some tearing that's making me nervous."

"I understand, Doctor." Elena nodded. "Is there any medicine I should be taking?"

"It looks as though we've cleaned it well enough. I don't want to overuse our...very limited antibiotic supply." He grabbed a tube of ointment out of the cabinet, as well as some bandages, and handed them to her. "This should be sufficient. Reapply this ointment and change the bandages at least once every 24 hours."

With his bunkmates occupied by the doctor's directions, Gur-Rai stood, stripping out of his hospital gown with little regard to anyone else in the room. He was wearing tighty-whities underneath, luckily, but it still earned him disgusted stares.

Tygan locked eyes with him, his expression more irritated than Gur-Rai had ever seen. "I will not return your clothes until you put the gown back on."

Gur-Rai tied the gown around his waist.

Tygan sighed. "...Good enough I suppose." He retrieved a cardboard box that looked as though it had been used many a time before and shoved it into the Chosen's long arms. "Please, clothe yourself."

Mox actually chuckled at that, and Elena smiled at him as he helped her to her feet. "Pratal…" She leaned over and said something that Gur-Rai couldn't hear.

"I do not see why not." Mox said loudly. "You are his second in command, Elena, not I. That is your call to make."

Elena seemed to glare at Mox, but her gaze was not so much angry as it was nervous. As Tygan handed Elena her own box of clothes, she turned back to the Darkstrider. "Gur-Rai. Why don't you report back to Volk with us." She said it as if it were already fact.

Gur-Rai stopped, half-dressed, and peeked out through the neck-hole in his sweater. "...Beg your pardon?"

Elena looked away. "If you don't want to, just say-"

"Oh I want to." Gur-Rai insisted. "But I am confused, Elena. Didn't you hate me bot but a day ago?"

"Was it not you who wanted me to give you a chance?" She smirked. "And last I remember, you have a couple of girlfriends in Reaper territory that miss you very much."

"Oh, starlight." He groaned, but it was mixed with a chuckle. "...Mox? You're okay with this?"

"I believe it is a wonderful idea." He said cheerily. "If the Reapers can accept me, they may surely accept you, _Madron_."

Gur-Rai swallowed the beginnings of the lump in his throat. "...Okay then." He smiled, and they could see the genuine happiness shining behind tears in his eyes.

.

.

When Dhar-Mon awoke again, it was 1:00 in the afternoon. Having not slept all night certainly messed up his circadian rhythm, but to be honest he was surprised he was able to sleep _at all_.

He looked over at the stuffed horse tucked under his arm. Glaucus, the blue and white pony, looked up at him with cartoon eyes that conveyed a depth he was honestly not prepared to see. He cuddled the stuffed animal closer to his chest. It was strangely warm, and smelled like marshmallows. When he closed his eyes, instead of the whispers of demons in the dark, he heard nothing but a strange, soft humming.

This clearly had to be some sort of magical artifact, one that Malinalli had enchanted with her healing aura to comfort him as he slept. He'd have to thank her better later.

There was a knock at his door, and as he muttered "come in," the door slid open and Kon-Mai was already poking her head inside.

"Are you ill, Brother?" She asked, barging her way inside with an expression of worry on her face. "It is quite unusual for you to sleep so late."

"I feel…" He sat up, rubbing his eyes. To be honest, he still felt drowsy from sleep, but he felt significantly more rested than he had that morning. "I feel well, Sister."

She sat on the end of his bed, about to speak, before Glaucus caught her eye. "What is that?"

He hesitated at first, that apprehension he'd had when asking her about sewing coming back. Was it weak for a man to sleep with stuffed animals? Would she judge him? No...she was his Sister.

He handed her the stuffed horse. "A gift from Malinalli." He admitted. "I have had...such difficulty sleeping alone since leaving the Elders' embrace. I fear the darkness. This...tiny toy seems to have helped."

"You fear the darkness?" She looked down at the horse. "...It is so cute."

"It is a stuffed animal."

"Taxidermied?"

"No, it is a synthetic creation, made cartoonishly in the shape resembling a living thing." He sat up fully, sitting criss-coss-applesauce. "It is meant to bring comfort."

Kon-Mai met his eyes again. "Does it help you, Brother?"

"With it, I was able to sleep uninterrupted." He said. "I believe it has helped me…"

She held it at arm's length, a smile gracing her blue lips. "...What an adorable creature…" She looked to the door. "Malinalli gave this to you?"

"Yes, she did." He said.

"Hm." She handed him Glaucus and stood again.

"Do you desire one?" He asked. "I could ask her for another."

"No." She shook her head and started toward the door. "I have a better idea, Dhar-Mon...do you still want to learn to sew?"

.

.

The night, for once, was peaceful, quiet. Elena had not felt this kind of grace since Tomko had died. It seemed that the Earth had let out a breath she'd been holding. She reached out and took hold of Mox's hand, and he squeezed hers.

The Darkstrider was behind them, his pace slightly slower as they walked silently into the camp, set up in the remains of 77th Avenue, right outside The Vermeer: a tall, curved and now very dank apartment building. In the road, Reaper tents lined the cracked pavement. Silent black forms could be seen moving about, checking on roasted Chryssalids and Vipers that lay on spits over the fire. Many of them did not see the Darkstrider at first, but once they did they stopped, stared for a moment, then disappeared again. None came to confront him, but he could hear them whispering.

Elena looked back at him. "You understand, it will take much more than my presence to get them to trust you. But it will help."

"I'd be more worried if they DID trust me." He chuckled. "I wonder if they recognize me."

"I did." Was all Elena said, before holding her silence a moment. "...Really though, unless they have been on a mission with you recently, they only know you as the Hunter."

"So only Lars and Creepy Cruzita. At least someone-"

_"Dunkelmarcheur!"_ A familiar voice called out to them. Mox waved over Elena's shoulder at the familiar pair of Reapers sitting by a small campfire, one of whom was holding up the disembodied skin on a Viper.

"Well, speak of the devil, and she shall appear." Gur-Rai grinned nervously at the sight of Cruzita, approaching her with the slightest amount of hesitation. She and Lars met the three of them halfway, and Lars reached out and shook Elena's hand delicately. "Your wound?"

"It's only flesh." Elena assured him. "Didn't touch your artwork, though."

Gur-Rai turned to Elena. "Artwork?"

Elena seemed to hesitate. This whole being friends thing was already challenging for her, even moreso when it was with the man who was practically her ex-boyfriend's walking corpse. But, she took a breath, smiled and gestured to Lars. "He does tattoos."

"In my home country I was an artist, nearly world renowned!" He raised his voice far louder than a Reaper ever should, and it earned the group a few looks. "But when the war came to Luxembourg and I had to flee to a more defensible position, I had to find other expressions for my creative talents. Show them, Elena. Yours was some of my finest work."

Elena sighed, dropping her gun and taking off her coat. Underneath her vest, curled around her spine, Gur-Rai could see the outline of red scales. She pulled aside her shirt just enough to show them.

"A dragon." She said. "I am _Dragunova_, after all."

Gur-Rai raised a brow. "Well well well, I was thinking of getting some ink done as well, Lars. It seems fate has brought us together."

"Don't you have to talk to Volk?"

"That I do. Shame." He sighed.

"Oh that's fine. We're going to be here for a minute." Cruzita jabbed her finger toward the pile of Viper skins and entrails, some of which was simmering clean in a bucket of boiling water. "Come find us when you're done and I'm _sure_ Lars will make your skin the work of art we all know it is." She scanned his blue skin again, her eyes glinting.

"Um, yes." He took a step back. With her hood down, he could see clearly now that, instead of perfectly white, her hair had some black patches in it, like lowlights. Her cheeks were sunken and her nose was turned upward so much, it almost looked skeletal. It reminded him of himself and for a moment, he felt a deep sense of pity. He wondered if ADVENT had touched her, too.

He looked up to the black windows of the Vermeer. He could feel the eyes watching him. Volk was waiting for him in there.

"I'll be out in a jiffy." He said. "Something tells me this won't take long."

.

.

Kon-Mai's sewing kit was uncharacteristically cute for someone like her. It was a small, white, silk bag with purple flowers embroidered on it, held closed by a pearl button. When she undid the clasp, all of the needles and thread were tucked away neatly and nicely.

She plopped the supplies, and herself, onto Dhar-Mon's bed, and they sat facing each other as Kon-Mai withdrew the supplies from their containers. The small pincushion and the thimble were the first to come out, then she laid some of the fabric from over her arm onto the bed in front of them. He recognized the patterns and cloths she had bought from the black market, as well as some other material: chunks of cotton?

She pulled out two markers, handed him one and a piece of fabric, and nodded. "Were you thinking of something specific?"

He shook his head. "I do not know what animals would be comforting to sleep alongside. A horse seems to already push the limits. And one would have trouble finding a companion in a lizard."

"One never knows." She mused. "Perhaps a lizard can be a worthy companion."

Hm." He grunted. "What are you making?"

"I think I shall make a hedgehog." She took two large swaths of brown fabric and pressed them together, drawing the outline of what looked like a fat oval.

"A hedgehog is covered in painful spines." Dhar-Mon said. "I do not see how that is soothing."

"I like them." She replied. "They are able to tuck themselves away at the first sign of danger, and camouflage themselves on the forest floor. A fine animal favored by evolution."

Dhar-Mon harrumphed, but he saw her point. "...What about a koala?"

"Do not test me." She growled.

"I wish you would speak of that day, if it was as traumatic as it seems to be."

"It is not a day I want to relive." She insisted. "Koalas are the spawn of demons, and I like hedgehogs more."

He supposed that was fair. He stared down at his own piece of fabric: He already had a sleeping companion, but not content to just sit quietly and watch his sister work, he put the pen to the fabric.

"What animal would Gur-Rai like?"

.

.

Gur-Rai was still contemplating what tattoo to get as Elena pushed open the Vermeer's great double doors. He could already tell that, in another life, this place had been extravagant. Now, the golden walls were crumbling and the chandeliers had fallen from the ceiling. The furniture seemed like it might have held out enough to be used again, but the rotten looking wound made him not want to test it. There were a few Reapers down here, sitting by the front desk, cleaning stocks of weapons.

"Alfred, where is Volk?" Mox asked. "We must report to him."

One of the Reapers looked up in annoyance, and Gur-Rai wondered how good relations with the Skirmishers really were, even with Elena's marriage to one. "He's in the penthouse." Alfred said. "As usual."

"Thank you." Mox nodded and led the way through the hall. Gur-Rai had to duck under some of the beams: this place was not built for a Sasquatch like him.

"I don't suppose the elevator is working." He asked, though he knew the answer

"You're welcome to try it." Elena shrugged. "But I think you might have better luck scaling the elevator shaft."

"Gee, that actually sounds fun." He smirked. "Maybe I'll race you."

"Maybe I'll decline." Elena rolled her eyes. "We'll take the stairs, that's enough climbing for me."

The stairs were torture, especially with Gur-Rai being so tall that he routinely bumped his head on the floor above them whenever they came near to the door. Eventually, instead of following Elena and Mox, who were taking their sweet time like a couple of old timers, Gur-Rai crouched on all fours and bounded up the stairs like a cat, moving at twice the speed and leaving the other two in the dust. They watched him with a mix of indignation and wonder, Mox letting loose a chuckle.

"That man was never meant to be tamed."

Elena nodded, completely silent at his comment.

The three met back up at the last door, when there were no more stairs to climb. Gur-Rai was leaning on the handle, ready to push open the door to the penthouse. "Ready?"

"I am ready." Mox squeezed Elena's hand.

"I am not, but I must be." She smiled at her husband. "After you, Darkstrider."

Gur-Rai opened the door, and the lights disappeared.

Well, really, the lights were still on in the hall behind him. But the entirety of the penthouse apartment was swathed in darkness. As his eyes adjusted, he could see bits of shape and movement, but even the faint light coming in through the many windows did nothing to ease the shadow.

Then a single light came on, from a desk in front of an old, brick fireplace that was currently out. On the mantle were trophies that made the Hunter inside Gur-Rai drool with envy: snakeskins of all colors, some obviously dyed, but some where the craftsmanship was so good, he couldn't tell, other than the fact that he'd never seen a purple Viper before. An Archon torso hung on the wall, and an entire taxidermied Chryssalid sat in the corner.

Other than that, though, there were animals. Real, lifelike animals that looked as though they could jump from their mountings at any moment. There was a stag, a whole moose, a gnu (Gur-Rai really wanted to know how Volk got that one), several smaller animals, and even a wolf, frozen in a hunting position as though it was plucked out of time.

Then the big man himself stood up, whiskey in hand and smelling of alcohol. His dark eyes were trained right on Gur-Rai. "Elena." He hissed. "_God fucking dammit_, Elena."

"Volk, please don't." Elena sighed. "The Darkstrider was on the mission with us. He needs to be part of the report."

"Why?" Volk walked around his desk and took a swig of his drink.

"Because it was he who saved our lives." Elena insisted. "It was he who bested the Viper that came to kill me. I would be dead now, if it wasn't for him."

Volk looked over at Mox, who straightened up but avoided his gaze, and thankfully Volk was sober enough to avoid saying anything stupid. "Fine." He put his drink down and leaned back against his desk. "What happened out there?"

"There were a lot more troops in the area than we bargained on." Gur-Rai said. "At least two pods worth, mostly Vipers but there was a Sectoid in there somewhere."

"I believe the Sectoid escaped." Mox cut in.

"So that's where all the fucking Viper meat came from." Volk pinched the bridge of his nose. "If the Sectoid escaped, he's gonna go running off to tell the Elders. And we just got settled here, too."

"We have relocated before." Elena assured him. "If we take a caravan up to Alaska and possibly buy passage across, Siberia is uninhabited."

"We think. We have no idea what's up in Siberia." Volk said. "A merchant vessel isn't big enough to carry the entire caravan. We'd have to split up, and I don't want to do that."

"Let's not be hasty." Gur-Rai said. "You may not have to leave. They didn't indicate that they knew you were here, it looked like a regular old patrol."

"Two pods worth of enemies?" Volk scoffed. "They knew. They were just looking for where we were _specifically_."

"Maybe we could set up in Alaska." Elena added. "I am certain the old base is still there."

"It's possible, but that's just it." He replied. "The base is old. And it's small: our numbers have grown since then."

"Hang on." Gur-Rai leaned on one knee. "I say you and your people don't have to go anywhere. This is your home. Protect it."

"That's fucking easy for you to say." Volk spat. "You don't have a home."

"Volk." Elena said in a warning tone.

"Don't start with me." He pointed at her. "I was okay when you brought home the Skirmisher. I even grew to like him, somehow. But no way in Hell is a CHOSEN telling me what I should and shouldn't do with my people."

"Well then, I suppose you just pick up all of your fancy trophies, throw them in a cart and drive across the ocean to the next place ADVENT will find you." Gur-Rai shrugged. "You can't run forever, Volk."

Volk glared at him with cold, yellow eyes. "Elena, Pratal, step outside."

"Sir-" Mox began.

"Out. _Now_. I need to speak to the _alien _alone." He growled.

Elena looked to Gur-Rai, one eyebrow raised. He knew how much she cared for Volk, but he also knew that if he asked for help, she would step in and deck the old man.

He shook his head, gesturing towards the door. He would be fine. The old man didn't scare him. That much.

The door closed, and the two were left in almost complete shadow again. Gur-Rai couldn't help but feel like a child again, and Volk was the adult scolding him for being bad.

"Why the fuck are you here?"

Gur-Rai lifted his hands. "I can explain, Mr. Volikov, Sir. You see, I used to be-"

"I know." He growled. "I know who you were. Who you're not. Don't come in here wearing Genji's face."

Gur-Rai furrowed his brow. "...Genji? His name was-"

"You thought his name was just Tomko?" Volk spat. "That's what he liked to be called. That was the name his father left him. But HIS name was Genjiro."

Genjiro. It _did _strike a deep, familiar cord with him. It also complicated things. "...I wasn't a local, was I?"

"He certainly wasn't all white, that's for sure." Volk looked very sad for a moment. "That boy was the first taste of hope I had after the war. And you stole him from me."

"I didn't steal anything." Gur-Rai hissed. "If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at the Elders who spirited me away."

"Oh sure, and who you so eagerly served for 10 years!" Volk slammed his hand on the desk. "You came back to kill us!"

"I had no choice! You don't refuse the Elders unless you have a death wish!"

"Then maybe you should have, at least they'd have killed you for good! Let Genjiro rest in peace rather than suit up his corpse!"

The words stung. Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "So now I'm the villain just for being born?"

"You…" Volk hissed. "...You know what? Yes. You should have died out there, with a bullet in the neck. And Genjiro Tomko should be resting in the ground."

Gur-Rai swallowed the lump in his throat. "...The Commander has a different opinion."

"The 'Commander' is a psychotic bitch who does what she wants." Volk growled. "Sure, she's the best hope we have for salvation. That doesn't mean I have to like her, or her decisions." He pointed to the door. "She may have power up in that Avenger, but _I'm_ the boss down here."

"Oh?" The ground had never looked so interesting before. "So, 'Boss,' what are my orders?"

"Get out." Volk hissed. "And If I ever see your face in Reaper territory again, I'll shoot you my goddamn self."

"Oh don't you worry, Sir." Gur-Rai bared his teeth. They were glinting, even in the low light. "I was just leaving."

.

.

When he emerged, he was surprised to see Elena and Mox were still waiting outside. Mox looked up, hopefully. "How was your talk?"

The look on Gur-Rai's face must have given it away, because Elena sighed. "Oh, that man. If you want, I can-"

"No. It's fine." Gur-Rai said. "He has officially banished me from Reaper territory though."

"He did, did he?" Elena crossed her arms. "Well I officially unbanish you."

"Can she do that?" Gur-Rai turned to Mox.

"I do not question it."

"Good man." He chuckled.

Elena stepped forward. "Cruzita and Lars are undoubtedly still waiting for us." She said. "Shall we go tell them what tattoo you want?"

In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten all about the tattoo. "I'd love to, if I did indeed know what I wanted." He shrugged.

"Some sort of animal would fit you well." Mox said. "I myself have considered getting a wolf, in honor of the Reapers."

Gur-Rai saw Elena smile at that, and he crossed his arms. "Well, what's a good hunting animal? I'd get a wolf as well, but I don't think the pack leader would appreciate that." He followed them as they began to descend that massive staircase, although it was a bit easier going down."

"A beagle." Elena chuckled.

"No."

"They were used by human hunters for decades." She said. "They were made to chase small animals like badgers and foxes."

"Beagles may be cute, but my sister is more of a dog person than me." He said. "Something cool. Elena, you have a dragon on your back. That is amazing."

"Because my surname is Dragunova." She said. "What does 'Madron' mean?"

"Well if you must know, it symbolizes status." Gur-Rai straightened up. "You may call me Lord Gur-Rai."

"Oh, my apologies, _your lordship._" Elena rolled her eyes. "Well let's see. You threw off the yoke of the Elders: what about a wild horse?"

He liked the idea, but… "Not quite." He held a finger to his chin. "But that is a good concept. Something that symbolizes freedom?"

"A bird!" Mox cried. "A big, menacing looking bird. Perhaps a hawk or-"

"An eagle!" Gur-Rai snapped his fingers. "That's it! Mox, you bloody genius!"

Mox seemed to beam at the compliment.

.

.

Dhar-Mon stopped his own project to watch his sister work. Her fingers were quick and nimble, tying each stitch as fast as a sewing machine could. She was deeply focused, her eyes glued on the task in front of her, her breathing deep and controlled. He wondered if she had always had this talent, or if this was yet another blessing from the Elders.

She stopped, putting the thread down and shaking out the fabric. "Camazotz gave me my swift hand." She said, answering his thoughts. "But I do not think this is how he intended I use it."

"Where did you learn this skill?" He asked.

"I believe I mentioned before…" She shook her head. "Perhaps I didn't. It was a year after my birth. Do you remember the Great Battle of the Rhine Institute?"

"We were all present." He said. "I remember. From the lowest grunt to us, the Chosen. It was our first time working in tandem with one another, and our first encounter with the entity that remained of XCOM."

She seemed to ponder those words. "And do you remember the explosion?"

That was when he cringed. The Rhine Institute, one of ADVENT's weapon production centers, was useful for it's stockpiles of gunpowder, oil and just about anything flammable. Dhar-Mon and his brother had been able to stay clear of the damage, being able to make ranged attacks, but Kon-Mai had run straight in to stop the intruders herself.

"We did not know they had set up charges." He murmured. "For a moment, I thought you had been lost in that blast, so intense it was."

"I nearly was." She admitted, and she took another piece of cloth and began slicing it into thin strips. "But my armor was shredded in the discharge. Though we won the day, my equipment was left unusable. Kompira helped me reforge my sword, but he did not know sewing, and he could not fully mend my armor."

"And the Priests did not?"

"They could…but perhaps I was indignant. Something had been stolen from me, and I could do nothing but wait for it to be repaired? No, I wanted to take matters into my own hands: that was when I asked the priests to teach me." She sighed. "...I wish I knew their names."

He pondered that. "_Did _they have names?"

"I heard them whispered on their breaths in my stronghold." She said. "It was not allowed, only those of the highest rank-"

"Only those who had proven themselves truly loyal could wear the honor of a name." Dhar-Mon said. "And yet, I remember a woman at my stronghold whose name was Oinone."

"I never bothered to learn the names of the priests that served me." Kon-Mai said again, and it became clear that she was lamenting. "They were so far removed from me, and I saw myself as...above them." She stopped cutting the cloth into strips and began to sew each and every rectangle of fabric onto the hedgehog's back.

"...The circumstances were differing." Dhar-Mon tried to assure her. "Had the Elders not been so cruel, perhaps you would have had the courage to reach out to them."

"It was not for lack of courage." She insisted. "It was...I genuinely felt as though there was no point. They would die. I would live. And now…"

"...And now?"

She shook her head. "...What name should I give my animal?" She asked. "Yours is Glaucus, apparently."

"Malinalli gave him his name."

"It is a male?" She chuckled.

"Well…" He blushed. "...I merely guessed."

She chuckled and held up her finished hedgehog. "Mine shall be Nergui."

"Nergui?"

"...It means 'no-name' in...Mongolian." She seemed to have to think about that.

"You speak Mongolian?"

"You forget, Brother, my stronghold was in East Asia." She still looked slightly bothered by it though.

"That is clever, then." He admitted. "I shall let Gur-Rai name his."

"What did you make him?"

Dhar-Mon held up the stuffed toy, it's arms wide and outstretched. "It is an eagle!"

.

.

"I'll do it anywhere you want." Lars said. "But I do not like arms or legs."

Gur-Rai raised a brow as he sat down beside the fire, beginning to peel off his armor. "Why not?"

"Because they have a tendency to go flying~" Cruzita giggled. She had emptied one of the venom sacs into a pot and had brought the liquid to a boil, and was now cleaning a syringe.

"It is true, in our line of work." Lars added. "Losing a leg, losing an arm; it is not so uncommon, and my precious art will be lost with them."

Gur-Rai smiled. "I was thinking something right on the back of my neck."

"Perhaps where the neck meets the shoulders? I can do that!" " He pulled out a menacing looking tattoo gun and some various ink colors: black, red, green, a bit of white, not much else.

"Need new art supplies, there?"

"Yes, actually." Lars sighed. "But where oh where does the paint go? Oh that is right. To the absolute HACKS at ADVENT!" He spat. "They call that propaganda 'art'! Please! I could fill my anus with paint and shit better art than that!"

Cruzita cackled like a hyena at that, and Gur-Rai had to admit he snickered a little. Elena rolled her eyes, obviously disgusted.

_"Op jiddfer fall."_ Lars said as he loaded up the ink in his gun. "How do you want?"

"An eagle." Gur-Rai said.

"Ah, ah, that I can do." Lars picked up a stick and began drawing in the cracked dirt of the ancient road. "Wings over your shoulders, spread out like this. Head against your neck, right on the _nuque_." He drew out a design that reminded Gur-Rai a bit of a totem. "And the eyes, red. Like your own eyes."

"I think mine are purple."

"On your blue skin, they will look purple." He shrugged. "I have it! Now, Cruz, the numbing juice?"

As Cruzita began to suck the boiled venom into a syringe, Gur-Rai stopped her. "I appreciate the offer, but I can handle the pain."

"That's what they all say." She raised a brow. "Are you sure, Darkstrider?"

"Positive." He nodded. "Believe me. The Elders have done worse. I'm used to it by now."

The tattoo gun buzzed to life, and Gur-Rai found himself clenching his muscles, bracing for impact. The needle touched his skin, and Lars began the first line.

True, it was nothing compared to the pain the Elders had inflicted on him in that same spot, but the sharp pin ran over old nerves he'd thought were dead, and brought them back to life. He gripped his pant legs so tight he almost tore them, his sharp teeth biting down on his lip, drawing blood.

He felt a hand take his, then another. "I'm here." Elena said. He could feel her, on his left, Mox on his right. He squeezed their hands, afraid that his nails would injure them, but they didn't even flinch.

He opened his eyes once, and they drifted up towards the window of the penthouse, where he could see the faint outline of Volk watching him.

Go ahead, Old Man, he thought. Shoot me.

Volk held his gaze for a moment. Then he turned away.

.

.

The tattoo took a long ass time, but as Lars said, that was because he took pride in his work. At the end, when the needle rose from Gur-Rai's skin for the final time, and Cruzita handed him a mirror to check how it looked, he had to agree the pain was worth it.

Lars had added a few extra red feathers falling from the bird, as well as bits of broken chain. The eyes, like he said, looked more purple than red, and the outstretched wings extended across Gur-Rai's upper back and almost over his shoulder.

Elena grabbed a medkit and took out some petroleum jelly. "You mustn't forget the aftercare."

"She is right." Lars said as he applied the jelly, and then a sticky gauze bandage. "Remove this after 24 hours."

"That's all? Don't worry." The Darkstrider grinned. "I heal quickly."

"No you do not." Mox chuckled. "I know."

Elena's comm beeped, and she sighed. "Firebrand wants us to return."

"Then this is farewell." Mox said, shaking Lars's hand.

"I don't like goodbyes." Cruzita stood and hugged Elena, towering over the woman. "This is a 'see you soon!'" She leaned over and hugged Gur-Rai as well. "And I still think that blue is beautiful."

"I'm flattered, Miss de Vries." He chuckled. "But please don't turn me into a coat."

"Oh don't worry, human skin doesn't keep well." She made a face, then laughed. "Until next time, Darkstrider!"

They waved back to the two as Gur-Rai put his sweater and armor back on, and the trio set off to the extraction point. His back still hurt quite a bit, but the knowledge that the tattoo was there, that it was something the Elders could no longer take from him, that made him happy.

"Elena…" He leaned over. "Did Genjiro have any tattoos?"

Her brow furrowed. "Genji…? Oh." She blinked. "Hm. We never called him by his first name."

"Why is that?" He asked. "Not that I disagree with using a callsign. But Genjiro is so much more…" He waved his hands. "...fantastic."

Elena opened her mouth and closed it again, pondering her next words. "...Truly? He didn't like using Japanese at all." She finally replied. "He claimed to have many bad memories from that place. He had hoped America would be a fresh start: he came here looking for his father."

"Yes...'Tomko' was his father's name." Gur-Rai bobbed his head.

"Mm. Truth be told I didn't like the name at first." She admitted. "It always sounded too soft. Too...cute."

"But I _am _cute, Elena~"

"You are what would happen if a giraffe partook in an extramarital affair with a shark."

Mox barked out a laugh at that, and Elena smiled proudly at the joke she made.

"Okay, okay, fair enough." Gur-Rai chuckled. "I like this new you, Elena. Much more open."

"Open to insulting you? I agree, it's cathartic."

"The hazing makes the friendship stronger." He said. "And I am happy that, if not now, one day I might be able to call you my friend."

"Yes." She took a breath. "I...don't regret it as much anymore. Losing Tomko, that is. I still do but…" She laid back and stared at the ceiling. "...Darkstrider, do you truly think Tomko and I would never have worked?"

"Nah. Too much fire." He chuckled. "I remember you kicking the shit out of me for forgetting your birthday one year."

"You deserved it."

"That I did. But you wouldn't do that to Pratal, now would you?"

"No, but he wouldn't forget." She looked ahead of them, where Mox had taken the leading position and was scouting for enemies.

"...There was more to it, wasn't there?" He asked quietly.

"...Darkstrider." Elena said. "If you love someone...never go to bed angry."

He blinked rapidly, trying to decipher the message. "...What does that-"

"A few days before…" She swallowed. "Before the battle, Tomko and I had a catastrophic fight, it almost ended us right there and then." She looked up at him. "We...put it behind us, but so much was still left unsaid. So much tension. Tension I never let die."

"What was the fight about?" He asked. He wanted to make a joke, but now was not the time.

"It was about...how do I say it? It was about our future." She said. "Tomko did not want children, he made that very clear, and I thought I would agree but...I realized this after a while: I want to be a mother. I want to have children, have a family, have little ones of my own to raise."

Ah. For some reason, that stung. Perhaps Tomko was still balking at it. "...Some things never change." He said. "I'm not keen on fatherhood."

She nodded. "When you said it would have ended between me and Tomko...I knew you were right." She hugged herself. "_Blyat'_, did I not just say I no longer felt this guilt?"

He chuckled. "Elena, I may not be Tomko, but if you'll allow me to speak for him…" He put a hand over his heart. "He holds no ill feelings towards you for wanting something so dearly. And he is...I am happy you found someone to share that dream with." He hesitated. "Mox wants kids too, I assume?"

"He does." She chuckled. "He said at least two. I said no more than three."

"Your children will be a force of nature." He blew a whistle. "Lookout world, the Dragons are hatching!"

"Oi, _zatknis'_." Elena smirked and ran to catch up with her husband.

.

.

"Brother!" Gur-Rai called out as he knocked on the door to Dhar-Mon's room, snickering to himself. Oh, his brother would be so pissed, probably rant for a bit about how "your body is a temple and tattoos are graffiti." It was going to be amazing.

Instead of Dhar-Mon, though, Kon-Mai opened the door, covered in bits of cotton and with what looked like a hedgehog pillow pet in her arms. "You are home late, where were you?"

"Out." He kissed his sister's cheek as he walked in, and she grabbed him by the arm and pointedly put one on the top of his head, under which he squirmed.

"Flaunting your height, I see."

"It is not my fault you are short." She chuckled and sat back on the bed. Dhar-Mon was still in his pajamas, holding a stuffed horse and...something that kind of looked like a pancake.

"What's that you've got, Brother?" Gur-Rai asked.

Dhar-Mon stood up, towering over the middle Chosen, and held it out proudly. "This is a gift for you, Brother, to protect you from the darkness while you sleep."

Gur-Rai blinked, gently taking the...what was it? It looked like a bird, with really big wings and a fat, white head. "...Is this an eagle?"

"It is!" Dhar-Mon sounded relieved. "I was worried you would not recognize it!"

"I…" He laughed at the irony. "I love it, Dhar-Mon." He looked up, staring right into his brother's eyes. "It matches my tattoo~"

"Your what?" Kon-Mai snapped.

Gur-Rai tossed the stuffed eagle onto the bed and gently pulled off his sweater, then his undershirt, turning to reveal to them the eagle tattoo, wings spread wide across his neck.

His siblings stared at it for a good ten seconds, analyzing the carving drilled into their brother's back.

"...I adore it." Dhar-Mon proclaimed. "This art is reminiscent of the ancient human scribes! And the colors blend with your skin so well, Brother."

Okay, _that _he hadn't expected. Still, Gur-Rai felt a simmer of warmth as Dhar-Mon praised the artwork on his back. "I can't take credit for this, Brother. The Reaper, Lars, did most of it."

"Then Lars is a very talented artist." Kon-Mai spoke up, her voice slightly softer. "Did it hurt?"

"Like a bitch." He flinched as he put his undershirt back on. "And I have to keep it bandaged for a day."

Kon-Mai nodded. "Will it need changing?"

"After the first day? No, I don't think so. I have to wash it gently though."

"If you so wish, I can assist you with that." She sat back down, a slight smile on her face. "You seem so very happy, Brother."

"Well, yes, I am." He picked up the stuffed bird Dhar-Mon had lovingly made for him, and cuddled it close. "...You know, the eagle is the symbol of freedom."

"So is a horse!" Dhar-Mon held up Glaucus. "And now we are free from the Elders. This is symbolic of our new lives."

"Of course, Konnie had to go fuck it up. What's a hedgehog supposed to be a symbol of?" Gur-Rai snickered.

Kon-Mai scowled. "A symbol of the pain I shall inflict upon you if you don't shut your mouth."

"Well you're very prickly, Sister. It certainly suits you." Gur-Rai laughed as she tossed the pillow at him.

* * *

Summary: This chapter begins with a snapshot of the Reaper's daily lives outside of combat: Cruzita and Lars sit around the fire, discussing their former lives, and what will become of them when the war is over. Cruzita holds a deep hatred for aliens, and claims the war will not be over until all "these monsters" are dead. Back on the ship, Dhar-Mon is having trouble sleeping due to his fear of the dark, and Malinalli gives him a stuffed horse, Glaucus, to sooth his anxiety. Later, after he sleeps until 1:00 pm, Kon-Mai comes to check on her brother, and decides to teach him to sew by making stuffed animals together. We also see Gur-Rai and Elena's wounds mostly healed, and as thanks for saving her, Elena invites Gur-Rai into Reaper territory to talk to Volk. They arrive and speak briefly with Lars and Cruzita, and find out Lars does tattoos, and that Elena has a tattoo of a dragon along her spine. Climbing the stairs of the Vermeer, the apartment building the Reapers are hiding in, Elena, Gur-Rai and Mox meet with Volk, who is not keen on having Gur-Rai there. After sending Elena and Mox outside, Volk reveals Tomko (the Reaper Gur-Rai was before he was taken) was actually named Genjiro, and Tomko was his surname. Following Volk kicking him out, Gur-Rai is consoled by Elena and Mox, who return with him to Lars, where he gets an eagle tattooed on his back. Once the tattoo is finished and the three leave to meet Firebrand, Gur-Rai and Elena talk more about the past: Elena reveals that she and Tomko had nearly broken up a few nights before he was taken, over the fact that Elena wanted children and Tomko did not. Returning home, Dhar-Mon presents Gur-Rai with a stuffed eagle he made, and the two poke fun at Kon-Mai's hedgehog toy that she sewed herself.

(Hullo my dudes. I hope you're all staying safe out there. This one was a cathartic one, even if there's still a lot left unanswered and unspoken. But I think a big message of any XCOM fic you read, especially on this side of the river, is human or alien, anyone can change, and anyone can be kind. Just something to hold onto.)


	25. The House That Death Forgot, Part 1

Distress signals were nothing new to Bradford. One came along at least once a week. If it was from an established Resistance camp, there was no question that XCOM would be on the trail in a heartbeat. Sometimes though, the signals came and went, or they consisted of only a few words, or static, and as much as it pained all the senior officers, they couldn't afford to chase every stray call for help.

But this was different: the voice coming through on the message...it was hers. It was Annette Durand.

He didn't need to run this by the Commander, though he would. He knew what she'd say. Annette was as valuable as Zhang had been. Annette, while not as close as Zhang, was a friend.

And friends didn't leave friends behind.

So there he sat in his office, her message on repeat.

_"This is Taymallat. I am alive-"_

_"This is Taymallat. I am alive-"_

_"I am alive-"_

He kept pressing play. Pressing play. Hearing her voice hurt. Hearing her…

He put his head in his hands. Only for a moment though, then he stood, and marched towards the Commander's quarters.

.

.

"The signal came from Panay, an island in the Central Philippines." Bradford said as he paced around the Commander's desk.

"What province?" She asked. "Panay is a big island, Bradford."

"I've never been there, Commander, so I can't give you directions." He said. "But the coordinates read 10°52'59.1"N 122°29'48.9"E."

Senuna closed her eyes, like she was doing math in her head. "...Cabatuan, in the Iloilo province." She said confidently. "Not too remote, but I don't think anyone lives there anymore."

"The populations of the island nations were all evacuated to the city center in Central China." Zhang said. His voice was still quiet, but it was always quiet. His skin had fully lost that yellow, jaundice color and his gold eyes were bright once again. He still sat on the adjacent couch, as per Senuna's request. "If anyone is there, they are either in hiding, or ADVENT is expanding."

"Well we can't leave Annette in there." Senuna stood. "Call in the Chosen. We need our best."

"Are you sure, Sunny?" Bradford asked. "Darkstrider just returned from a mission."

"With the Hieromonk having healed him up? I'm beyond sure." She smiled. "Plus, you've seen how the three work together."

"Well." Jane said. "With that logic, Madam, will you be sending a medic?"

Senuna sighed. "This comes up quite a lot, now."

"I'm only asking."

"Malinalli-" Bradford barely got the name out before Senuna sent him a glare that made him freeze.

"Two missions she's been on in the last few weeks." Senuna snapped. "That's more than I ever wanted her out in the field. And right now, I want her on the ship."

"Why?" Jane asked.

"Because it's safe!" Senuna snapped, then righted herself. "She...she has duties here. And I want her to focus on her work on the ship."

"But what does _she _want?" Zhang asked.

"Don't you test me." Senuna hissed at him. "You're my friend, Chilong, you should know-"

"And as your friend, I am here to help you make the best decision." He stood up. "And sealing her in the Avenger like a princess in a tower is not the best decision."

Senuna slammed her hands on the desk and took a deep breath. Light was dancing at her fingers and, behind her eyelids, her irises were glowing greenish blue.

Zhang clasped his hands in front of him. "But it would also be wrong of me to force you to put her on the line with no insurance."

"Yes it would." Senuna's eyes dimmed. "...Thank you for understanding, Chilong. This means a lot to me."

"Of course." He clasped his hands. "At least, if you send her out, she should have some sort of protection. That being said, Commander, I would like to be placed on this mission."

That got everyone's attention, even Jane let out an audible gasp. Senuna met his gaze.

"No." She cried. "I can't risk you _both_, Chilong!"

"You forget the power I have in my hands." A smile brushed at his lips. "I may be old, but these old bones aren't yet brittle." He bowed. "I shall protect Malinalli, and the Chosen, and Taymallat when we find her."

The strain left Senuna's muscles, and she sank into her chair, seemingly pacified. "...Bradford…" She whispered "...call in the Chosen, and Malinalli Zúñiga. It's time we brief them for this mission."

.

.

Zhang stared at the Chosen with...curiosity. Almost fear, but not quite fear. They did not look like the officers who had cut him open and shoved tubes into his body, who had left him to rot in a cell, but they were still so alien, yet so human all at once.

The female among them was the easiest on the eyes: Kon-Mai Mordenna. He had seen her only once before, and she had been on the screen of an officer's data pad: a video of her cutting down defecting soldiers, eyes glinting like a cat's in the low light. But even though his picture of her had been blurry at best, he could still tell she was now different. Her hair—he had not even realized she had hair—was much longer, reaching to just below her shoulders. She wore it back in several thin braids, similar to the tubes she had possessed in ADVENT. Her armor was adorned with XCOM's colors, and her sword's hilt had been dyed a dark navy blue instead of the ADVENT red. She bowed to him as she saw him, a gesture he never expected from this woman. Her posture was straight and stiff and her eyes were focused.

"It is good to see you well, Colonel Zhang." She said. That raspy voice sent a shiver through him.

Zhang nodded. "Well met...Shrinemaiden. I...apologize for my behavior last time we spoke."

"There is no need, I did not take any offense." On her lips, he saw the tiniest hint of a smile. She seemed both young and old at the same time, with a youthful complexion, but noticeable wrinkles around her eyes and cutting into her mouth.

Behind her, a dark shadow loomed and pushed past the door, and that was when Zhang had to take a step back, as his panic was beginning to overwhelm him. He knew the being before him; he'd encountered him more than once before his capture. But more importantly he knew the story behind him, who he was, and it all made Zhang want to weep for the boy he had lost.

The Hieromonk stood two inches taller than his sister, a giant among giants. He turned his gaze on Zhang, magenta eyes boring into the Colonel, before he, like his sister, bowed before his superior. No, not bow. The Hieromonk sank to one knee, lowering himself to Zhang's height and keeping his head down.

"It is an honor, Great Chilong." The beast's voice was deep and sent a wave of force through the room that only a trained psion could feel. This man was bathed in psionic energy, and he spread the seed wherever he went.

Zhang could only nod, trying to steady his breathing. The Shrinemaiden was respectful, and would not harm him, and the Hieromonk made it clear he respected Zhang. "...Where is the third?" He asked.

"Gur-Rai?" Kon-Mai turned to the door. "...He is coming, slowly. Brother, hurry along."

"So then I said, 'I'm not sure how you're supposed to find a vein in there.' And that was when he took out a-" As the Darkstrider stepped through the door, he stopped mid sentence and turned his gaze, and Zhang truly reeled.

He had forgotten the terror the Hunter commanded when he stepped into a room. Kon-Mai held sway over the shadows, but also maintained an air of calm, and the Eldest brother was violent and chaotic but could be seen coming. Yet Gur-Rai Madron was the best of the two: as silent as his sister and as crazed as his brother. And as the Chosen saw Zhang, he smiled.

"Shaojie Zhang!" He cried, his arms spread wide. "Good to see you up and about! How's your...well, everything? Still sore?" He chuckled. "I won't ask for a thank you: saving you, it's all in a day's work~"

Zhang felt numb. He had not forgotten who had freed him, although he very much wanted to. He only nodded in silence towards Gur-Rai, and turned his gaze to the only human to enter the Commander's quarters.

Malinalli Zúñiga, the one solace in this. She had grown so beautiful since he'd known her: her dark umber skin and black locks were a stark contrast to the three she accompanied. Her smile was bright and kind and friendly. It pacified him, just a little.

"You're all here." Senuna gestured to the couches. "Sit, please! Don't be shy."

Zhang took his seat again, balking as, beside him the Dakstrider plopped down and spread out as wide as he could. The Shrinemaiden sat politely, only taking up as much space as she had to, and the Hieromonk took up a lot of space anyway, the giant he was.

Senuna looked over the group and nodded. "I've already briefed Zhang. You'll be doing another rescue mission."

"Oh? Who's the poor bastard this time?" Gur-Rai chuckled. "No offense, Chilong."

"Not a bastard." Bradford was quick to say. "Annette Durand: callsign Taymallat. Another of our old partners from before the war."

"She had been briefly involved with a radical group called EXALT, and by involved, I mean they kidnapped her." Jane stood, narrating as though she had read this from a file. "XCOM saved her in the early days of the invasion, just after the first Ethereals descended unto the world." She took her seat again, beside Kon-Mai this time, the both of them as silent as petals on the water. "She did a lot for XCOM."

"After Senuna was captured, she took a squad with some of the more powerful psions and led an assault on a nearby train station, hoping to get transport to EXALT's headquarters. That was when we lost contact." Bradford sighed, holding the silence for a moment. The mention of Annette seemed to hurt him, but he carried on. "When we lost the base, we also lost hope of ever seeing her again. It's a big world out there."

"She must have heard you took the Avenger." Dhar-Mon said. "It is known throughout ADVENT."

"Well, that's not good." Senuna said. "But, if it led Annette to us, then I'll take the good news over the bad!" She smiled. "We recently received a transmission from the Philippines, more specifically the island of Panay in the Central Visayas. She's alive, and calling for help."

"Do you have coordinates?" Kon-Mai asked.

"We do." Bradford said. "Pretty remote area, nothing nearby that we've seen. I feel a bit nervous sending you out there alone but..." He looked over the group of them. "...This mission holds a lot of...personal importance to me. I'll do anything I can to help from here."

"We shall find her, Central Bradford." Dhar-Mon stood. "And like Colonel Zhang, we shall return her home."

.

.

The sky was clear, and the wind was warm, and the Skyranger flew freely and happily, bobbing lightly on the breeze that carried them along. Under the feet of the four soldiers, though, the dark trees swam like the rolling sea, waiting to swallow them whole.

_"This is where y'all get off."_ Firebrand called back.

"There is nothing but the sea of trees." Kon-Mai looked out the door and then back at her brothers.

"Well I hope you know how to swim." As Gur-Rai stepped forward, the Skyranger shuddered and swayed a bit. "Bryni?"

_"Sorry, Sugar!"_

Dhar-Mon stepped forward, as though he was about to jump down, when the Skyranger jolted forward and then dropped a full foot. Kon-Mai whirled around, glaring towards the cockpit.

_"She's still mad at me for last week."_ Bryni could be heard straining with the steering. _"I need ta put 'er down."_

"Land the Skyranger?" Malinalli called back. "Are you sure?"

_"Yeah…"_ Bryni did not sound sure. _"We ain't near ADVENT, what's the worst that could happen?"_

"You will bring death upon us with your words." Dhar-Mon sighed as the Skyranger began to descend into the trees. The road that cut across the forest was empty and dirty and provided a nice spot to set the helicopter down.

"Well at least we don't have to jump." Malinalli said, gathering up her medkits and stuffing her tools into various pockets. She hopped out first, followed by Kon-Mai, then Dhar-Mon and Gur-Rai respectively. Zhang went last, his body still stiff but his steps strong and determined.

Bryni opened the cockpit and leapt out, removing her helmet and tossing it back onto the seat. "Mind if I walk with y'all up to the gate?"

"I do not mind." Kon-Mai looked to her brothers.

"Well, I'd appreciate the lovely company~" Gur-Rai winked at her.

Zhang sighed. "You are not human, Darkstrider, I doubt you could fit between the legs of one."

"You'd be surprised, Colonel." Gur-Rai smirked. "And plenty of men can say they fit inside me."

Zhang was unfazed as they began to walk. "Don't thinl the Elders intended that."

"Well then they shouldn't have left my balls intact." He shrugged.

Now Zhang raised a brow. "Your point being? You can't possibly father children, Darkstrider, especially not with a human woman."

"Don't worry about me, Chilong. I have no intention of 'siring any offspring' if you will." He shrugged. "One might come back and kill me!"

"Then what _is _the point of lovemaking?" Kon-Mai scoffed.

"It's fun. It feels good. It stimulates connection between two people, and you get to know someone in a way you never would otherwise." He winked at her. "Try it sometime, you'll see."

Kon-Mai turned purple as she blushed and looked away, drawing her sword in order to begin hacking away at the increasingly thick undergrowth. As the group traveled up the dirt road, the trees growing in their thickness, branches reaching out to brush against skin, the air around them grew thick and heavy, and seemed to be charged with static.

Dhar-Mon brushed down some of his flyaway hairs. "There is a psionic presence here."

The path ended in a clearing, the trees making almost a perfect circle around the large, black gate that stood at attention in front of the party. Behind said gate, a house—no, not a house, it looked more like a castle straight from a Gothic romance, stone and wood walls blending and creaking under the tropics weighty air—stood at attention, blocking what sun remained and casting a lengthy shadow over them. Around the gate was a flimsy, rusted chain, held in place, though there was no lock around it.

"What is it with us and creepy forests?" Gur-Rai chuckled.

"Maybe there'll be ghosts." Bryni giggled, leaning into Zhang's ear to annoy him.

"Do not be silly." Zhang sighed. "There is no such thing; if there was I would be more than haunted."

"You mean you aren't already?" Gur-Rai shrugged.

"I am haunted by other things. Not ghosts."

"Okay, big man." Gur-Rai walked up to the gate and gave it a hard shove. "Huh. Not coming loose."

"We could easily climb the fence." Kon-Mai sheathed her blade and walked up to the bars and put her hand on one, hauling herself up. Within seconds she was on top, and dropped onto the other side.

"Hey no fair!" Gur-Rai bounded after her, joining her on the other side within seconds. Bryni was next, stepping up to the gate and taking the bars in her hands. It took her a few tries, but she was soon over.

Zhang crossed his arms and stared at the gate, exchanging glances with Dhar-Mon and Malinalli.

"I can hoist you over." Dhar-Mon suggested.

"I don't know about that…" Malinalli clasped her hands. "I don't want to break my legs before we even get inside."

"The ground is soft, Molly. I did not break a leg, see?" Kon-Mai assured her.

Malinalli looked over at Zhang. "What do you think? Your stitches are still-"

"They have been removed by now. Even so, I'm going to find another way around." Zhang pointed to their right. "It looks like there's a path down there."

"Then I shall accompany you." Dhar-Mon said. "Better three together than two."

"Brother." Kon-Mai gripped the bars in worry.

"Never split the party." Gur-Rai echoed her worry.

"I am the Eldest Chosen." Dhar-Mon chuckled. "I shall be fine. Will you two behave while I'm gone?"

Kon-Mai scowled. "I shall make you eat those words."

"I am sure. Carry on, we shall rejoin you shortly." Dhar-Mon and Malinalli followed Zhang down the path.

Gur-Rai, Kon-Mai and Bryni exchanged looks, and Bryni pulled her gun off her back. "Well, after you!"

"Weren't you just supposed to walk us up the path?" Gur-Rai raised a brow.

"Maybe." Bryni smiled, her white teeth slightly crooked. "Come on, Darkstride, it's been four score an' seven years since Sunny let me pick up a gun."

"Well then, lets fix that." Gur-Rai said with a smile and a wink.

.

.

Inside the house, a shadow shifted out of the light. The kinking of chains, the turning of a lock could be heard.

She moved to the window and gasped when she saw them. One was human but the others…

_"Mga taga labas." _

She reached above the mantle to where Father hid the gun.

.

.

It would not have been a challenge to get inside: the large double doors were half rotted off their hinges. But the front of the property was just as intriguing, and the three decided to explore a bit there first.

Overgrown vines and bushes sought to hold them back, but Kon-Mai's sword could cut through steel; this was no trouble for her to clear away. Gur-Rai went around to what looked like it used to be a greenhouse. He felt the static of psionic energy brimming from the overgrown plants, whose flowers had opened up to reveal petals glowing purple and white and green. Touching one flower sent a little jolt down his spine, and he swore something under the ground moved.

Kon-Mai was picking around the front of the house, by the large wooden steps that led up to the main entrance. The house was strange in it's architecture, seemingly baroque in it's inspiration, but at the same time, the roof and some walls had been replaced with wood, most likely cut from local trees. It gave the house a Frankenstein's monster feel, like it had once been a different person but was not cobbled together into something...else.

Bryni put her hands on her hips and whistled. "Well, she's a bit of a fixer upper."

"I'll say." Gur-Rai came over. "Any sign of our target?"

"None." Kon-Mai climbed the steps slowly, the rooting wood creaking and almost splintering under her weight. "Take care on the steps."

"I always take ca-" The second Gur-Rai put his foot on the first step, his foot went through it, splintering the step into pieces and sending him tumbling face first through the rest of them.

Kon-Mai hissed and grabbed Gur-Rai by the hood, hauling him to his feet. "What did I just say?! Are you hurt?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, cut it out _Mom_." Gur-Rai grumbled. "Not a scratch, see? The legwarmers aren't that stupid after all."

Kon-Mai rolled her eyes, looking down to assess the damage. "Are you certain you're fine?"

"Yes, why?" He looked down. "...That's a bone."

"What?!" Kon-Mai looked like she was about to have a conniption until she looked down and saw that both of Gur-Rai's legs were intact, and that the bone under his feet was not his.

Bryni came over and let out a yelp. "Think you mayhaps stumbled on a burial ground!"

Gur-Rai raised his foot as Bryni got down on one knee and began sifting through the bones and dirt. "Looks like someone here was trying to hide a body."

Kon-Mai peered up at the castle again. "Something sinister took place here. I can feel it in my bones."

"I don't think your bones are the ones feeling it." Gur-Rai picked up a wide-eyed skull that was missing it's jaw. "Sorry for stepping on you, friend." He put the skull on the stone entryway and patted it gently.

.

.

The three walked in silence for a while, Malinalli and Dhar-Mon hanging behind at the back while Zhang led them forward through the dusty trail. To their left, the forest opened up into what appeared to be marshland, with stagnant, bubbling water circling the tree roots as far as the eye could see.

Finally, Malinalli spoke up. "Have you ever been out here before, Zhang?" She asked. "When you were with XCOM?"

"...Not with XCOM." He admitted. "When I was young, and still part of the Triad."

"Oh." She smiled awkwardly. "I bet that was cool."

"It would have been if not for the job." Zhang admitted. "I was sent to kidnap the children of a Filipino man who owed us over 2 million in US dollars."

Malinalli fell silent, but now Dhar-Mon spoke. "Your kind assigned such value to something as fleeting as a slip of paper or a pressed bit of metal."

Zhang turned and stared blankly at Dhar-Mon for a moment, and Malinalli was worried he'd angered him.

Then Zhang chuckled quietly. "Yes. It is...it was silly. That we were willing to torture and murder for something that, ultimately, did not save us." He sighed.

"...What happened to the kids?" Malinalli asked.

"I took them to a safehouse in Manila and held them there for four months until we were delivered ransom." He replied. "From them I learned a decent amount of Tagalog, and I'm sure they picked up some Chinese from me."

"That's kind of cute...aside from the whole 'being held against their will' thing." Malinalli looked around. "Is it just me or is the air getting kind of heavy?"

"There is much psionic energy here." Dhar-Mon said, looking around. "More than there should be."

"Annette is a powerful psion." Zhang said. "It makes sense. There. Over this way." He pointed forward. "That looks like a back door."

"Let's hope it's not locked." Malinalli said as she slid down the embankment after Zhang. The three of them landed on a ravine that seemed to contain an old shed, another, much rustier gate, and lots of glowing flowers.

Dhar-Mon approached the shed first. The door was tilting off its hinges and he pushed it away with barely a shove. Inside, he saw a menagerie of insects, spiders and cockroaches the size of his own hand, that all seemed to be staring at him with glowing eyes. His skin crawled and he stepped away, but not before looking down and feeling the cold sensation of fear run up his spine. "There is a body here!"

Zhang immediately turned away from the gate and ran towards Dhar-Mon, Malinalli following close behind. When they got to him he saw the fear on Zhang's face dissipate. "...That's not a human."

Dhar-Mon looked at the body again. At first, the tiny skeleton resembled a child's corpse, but then the structure of the bones became more familiar as he stared. He got down on his knee, still maintaining distance.

"That's a Sectoid." Zhang clarified.

"But it's so small." Malinalli said. "All the Sectoids I've seen were taller than me."

"Early invasion, the Sectoids were the size of children, sometimes smaller." Zhang inched closer, careful not to disturb the spider webs. "The skull has no teeth either, see how it is fused where the mouth should be. And the eyes are far too large."

Malinalli saw the insects and took a step back. "So...why is it here?"

"I do not know…" Zhang looked at the house. "But something tells me the answer is inside."

.

.

Kon-Mai pushed the door open easily, the old wood creaking as it swung open. The inside of the house was eerily quiet, but her sensitive ears picked up the sound of footsteps.

"Firebrand, on overwatch." She hissed, crouching down and cloaking herself. "We are not alone in this house."

"Oh sure, go invisible and leave me." Gur-Rai grumbled as he pulled Darklance off his back and took up position behind Bryni. "How come you get all the fancy toys?"

"Because I practice." She hissed, and because of her cloak her voice sounded as though it was coming from everywhere.

"I don' hear anything, Sugar." Bryni whispered. "Sure it ain't this old house creakin' you heard?"

"I know the sound of footsteps." But even so, Kon-Mai let her cloak down. Perhaps she had imagined it.

"Maybe it was the ghosts~" Gur-Rai chuckled, twiddling his fingers as he put Darklance back on his back. _"They're coming to get you, Konnie~"_

She scowled. "Firstly, Brother, that movie is bad and you know it."

"Oh fuck you, Night of the Living Dead is a classic."

"And secondly." She crossed her arms. "There are no such restless spirits, at least not in a place like this."

"What are you talking about?" Gur-Rai raised his arms. "This is exactly the type of place ghosts hang out!"

"Don't tell me you're one of them skeptical types." Bryni giggled. "Ain't your brother got that special power that lets him summon psi zombies?"

"Yes…" She bit the inside of her cheek. "But those apparitions are under his control. They do not wander about on their own."

"What about the Lost?" Gur-Rai asked.

"They are technically still alive."

There was a thunk from upstairs and all three of them flinched.

"A spirit could not have made that noise." Kon-Mai drew her sword confidently. "There may be squatters in this house."

"Hey!" Gur-Rai called up the stairs. "Whether you're just here for a warm place to sleep or you're haunting this place from your eternal damnation, come on out with your hands up. I have a big gun that I'm sure will hurt you either way."

Silence. Bryni looked around at the both of them. "Maybe it was the wind."

Then, the singing started. A tiny, childlike voice floated down the echoing hallway, down the staircase towards the three.

_Ili-ili tulog anay,_

_Wala diri imo nanay._

_Kadto tienda bakal papay,_

_Ili-ili tulog anay._

.

.

Zhang shoved the gate open: this one was unlocked and gave easily. Malinalli rubbed her shoulders, not from the cold (in fact it was actually growing pretty hot out here), but from that prickly feeling that something was watching them. She reached out and latched onto Dhar-Mon's hand, and he looked down in surprise.

"Sorry…" She said. "I just...wanted to feel like I'm not the only person alive out here."

He nodded and gave her hand a squeeze. "All will be well. We shall find Taymallat inside and leave swiftly."

Malinalli nodded, repeating that sentiment to herself. Somehow though, she didn't believe it.

Zhang hopped up the steps to a large, stone door that looked more like it was part of the wall. "...Huh…" He ran his hand over it, then stepped back, his eyes wide.

"What is wrong, Colonel Zhang?" Dhar-Mon asked.

"...Nothing." Zhang shook his head. "Nothing important." He felt around, then pressed a stone on the door that made it slide open. "...Follow me."

"How did you know…?" Malinalli let the question die on her tongue.

The back entrance of the mansion led them through a cold, damp hallway that was guarded corner to corner by spiders, roaches and other bugs none of them recognized. Malinalli could duck down easily but Dhar-Mon had to bat the bugs away with his hand, a sensation that was not the least bit thrilling.

The hallway ended in another door that opened up to what appeared to be the kitchen. The smell hit them first, must and mold and rotting food. Dhar-Mon covered his nose and Malinalli gagged. Zhang, however, looked around with an expression of disturbed familiarity.

"...This way." He said, becoming them to follow.

"How do you know that?" Malinalli asked. She was still holding tight to Dhar-Mon's hand.

Zhang didn't answer, but he jogged out into the hallway and looked around. Above him, a derelict flight of stairs that entered darkness. To his right, it seemed to stop at a dead end, but Zhang knew that behind the wall tapestry, there was a secret door.

"There's a way into the main foyer through here…" He said, looking up the stairs.

"Hold up." Malinalli said. "...Do you hear something?"

"It's probably the wood." Zhang said.

"I don't think so, it's coming from up the stairs…" Malinalli let go of Dhar-Mon's hand and looked up into the darkness.

Zhang grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him. "Do not go up there."

"Why?" Malinalli asked. "Why do you know where to go?!"

"Molly, he may be right." Dhar-Mon said. "I sense something from the darkness…"

A childlike voice floated down from the steps.

_Ili-ili tulog anay,_

_Wala diri imo nanay._

_Kadto tienda bakal papay,_

_Ili-ili tulog anay._

.

.

"Fuck it." Gur-Rai said. "Ladies, behind me. I'm going up there."

"No." Kon-Mai said. "I shall lead."

"No WAY, little sister." He snapped. "If someone attacks, I'm the one taking the brunt of it. No ifs ands or buts." He drew his gun. "Follow me."

Bryni sighed, taking up rear while Kon-Mai held the middle position. They carefully ascended the stairs, these ones seemingly holding their weight better than the ones outside.

Bryni held out her hand. "Hold up. Somethin's up ahead."

Gur-Rai cocked his gun, which seemed to echo. "You wanna come out? Or should I just shoot until I hit you?"

Silence for a moment. Then…

Footsteps. From the darkness emerged a figure. The figure of a girl, no older than 18. Her black hair was long, and looked like it might have been well kept if it wasn't so dirty. Her white shirt had sleeves that were puffed at the shoulders, and her blue plaid skirt was full of holes and covered in something...black.

She stared at the for a moment, examining Bryni, then her eyes moved to the Chosen.

And from behind her back, she pulled out a shotgun.

.

.

The scream sent the three of them into fight or flight mode. Malinalli froze, ducking down in the middle of the hall, while Dhar-Mon summoned up his power in each hand. Zhang ran for the tapestry hanging on the wall.

It was a shame; it was a nice tapestry, a weaved picture of the moon with a woman standing behind it, wreathed in shadow. But he couldn't take the time to admire artwork when his teammates were possibly in danger.

Zhang ripped the art away and flung open the secret door. "Hieromonk, stay with Malinalli."

"What about you?!" Dhar-Mon called, but Zhang had already disappeared into the door.

Malinalli hung onto Dhar-Mon's robe, pressing her face into the cloth. "I'm okay." She said as he lifted her to her feet. "I just...was startled."

"Would you like to remain here?" Dhar-Mon asked.

She shook her head. "Our friends need us don't they?" She grabbed his hand. "Let's go."

.

.

Bryni's scream was the first thing they heard. The second thing was the gunshot.

Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai both dove to the side, unfortunately leaving Bryni wide open. The bullet whizzed past her, just barely missing her shoulder. She cocked her gun and tried to shout a warning, but the girl shot again, her black eyes crazed with anger. She looked around, seemingly searching for the Chosen.

"Nandito ka para sa kalaban!" The girl cried out, catching sight of the Darkstrider and pointing her gun at him. "Narito ka upang patayin ako!"

"I don't understand a damn-" He dove for the ground, and the banister behind him splintered as a bullet ripped through it.

Kon-Mai jumped from her cover and grabbed the girl by the arm, trying to wrestle her to the ground. At first it was no contest, in a move that shocked everyone, the girl's eyes glowed purple and she vaulted Kon-Mai over her shoulder, throwing her to the ground. She cocked her gun, and Kon-Mai rolled away just as she fired into the floor, causing part of the rotten wood to fall away, taking the three of them down.

Zhang ran in in the midst of this, just as Gur-Rai and Kon-Mai were pulling themselves from the wreckage of the second floor walkway and Bryni came careening down the stairs. "We ain't alone in here, Colonel!"

"What the hell was that?!" Zhang asked, looking around. "And who did this?"

Dhar-Mon and Malinalli joined him, and upon seeing the wreckage, Dhar-Mon ran in and began helping his younger siblings to their feet.

"A girl." Kon-Mai said. "She was nought but a teenager...I don't understand how she was so strong…"

"Where is she now?" Zhang looked around. "Maybe that was Annette."

"Didn't look like her." Gur-Rai said. "Too young. And I don't suppose Annette spoke Tagalog?"

Zhang sighed. "No...no she did not."

Kon-Mai looked at the stairs. "Is there another way to the second floor?"

"We saw some stairs back this way." Malinalli said. "Come on."

"We shouldn't go up there." Zhang said.

"Why?" Malinalli snapped.

"Finding a homicidal teenager isn't part of the mission."

"Yeah, but finding Annette is." Bryni pointed up. "And if she's upstairs? Good fuckin' luck."

.

.

Now rejoined, the party crept through the dilapidated house on careful feet, breathing quietly between them. The stairs, the ones Malinalli pointed them to, led down another dark, narrow hallway that Dhar-Mon had to struggle to fit through. Malinalli made it through first this time but as she stepped forward, Zhang caught her arm.

"Let me." He commanded her, and stepped in front while she grumbled. He came to a stop in the middle of the hall, and ran a hand through his short, white hair. "Ó tiān nǎ, bùshì nǐ."

"What's up?" Gur-Rai said as he emerged, rising to his full height once again.

"Nothing. Come on."

Malinalli looked back at the group, stopping dead in her tracks and keeping her voice low. "Zhang isn't being honest."

"I had noticed." Dhar-Mon crossed his arms.

"He is an old veteran." Kon-Mai said. "His memories might bring him pain. Leave him be."

"I don't think it's that. I think he knows something about this house." Malinalli insisted. "And he shouldn't be keeping secrets like that from us."

"Well, if it helps us…" Bryni shrugged. "Whattya wanna do about it?"

As Malinalli opened her mouth, from the floorboards below, there came a rhythmic thumping noise.

Zhang jogged back over to them. "Do you hear that?"

They nodded, and Kon-Mai pushed forward, crouching down and feeling along the floor. "...The boards are thin but...this floor is thicker than these boards."

Malinalli looked to Zhang. "Did you know that?"

"Not that." He followed Kon-Mai as she moved, one foot before the other, down the hallway. She stopped, stooped, then stood again and kept moving until she came to a crack between the wall and the floor. "It's from here."

"It's probably a cockroach." Gur-Rai said. "I can shoot it."

"No." Zhang stooped low, feeling along the ground. Then, he laid his hand against the wall, and felt it give a little under his touch.. "...Shrinemaiden, move to your left and put your hands where mine are."

Kon-Mai did as he asked. Zhang waited, gave her a nod, and the two wiggled at the wall until a patch of the wood slid away. The room this secret doorway gave way to was nearly pitch black, and dust coated nearly everything, flying into the now open air. They heard panicked footsteps rushing toward them, and the two jumped back just in time.

A woman burst from the room, stumbling on the floorboards and falling to her knees, gasping for breath, her grey-brown hair hanging in her face. She saw Kon-Mai, screamed, and then in her scramble to get away, saw Zhang. Her eyes grew wide. "...Chilong?"

"Taymallat…!" He pulled Annette Durand into a tight hug. "You're safe now. We're going to get you out of here."

"No!" She cried. "You shouldn't have come."

"Huh?" Gur-Rai raised a brow. "You called us here, bitch. We came all this way-"

"I know I did, I didn't know! I had no way of knowing…" Annette pulled away from Zhang, looking around at the group. "...Chilong, what is...it doesn't matter!" She grabbed his hand. "We must go. Maybe there is still time!"

"Time for what?" Zhang asked. "Taymallat, you aren't making sense."

"If you're worried about the girl, don't be." Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "We can take her."

"Is she alive?" Annette asked. "If she is, then-"

The house let out a groan, then what sounded like a woman's scream.

"...She knows you're here." Annette gripped Zhang's shoulders. "There's no escape now. Not unless you can find a way to kill her."

* * *

(Dun dun dun! Hate to leave you on a cliffhanger but this chapter was pretty hard to write. Hopefully now that we're in the action, next one will go much more smoothly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go nap away the afternoon!

Song used: Ili Ili Tulog Anay, a Filipino Folk Song.)


	26. The House That Death Forgot, Part 2

(Content Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of broken bones/gore)

_"This is Taymallat. I am alive-"_

_"This is Taymallat. I am alive-"_

_"I am alive-"_

Annette hit the stop button on the recording, sighing as she did. "I was hoping no one would hear it."

"Then why did you send it?" Gur-Rai crossed his arms and began to lean back against the wall, but stopped himself.. They were back in the hidden room, the door only partially closed as they weren't sure they'd ever get it open if they shut it all the way. Dhar-Mon had cleared away some of the cobwebs, but it was still dark and airless, not a window in sight.

"Because I had just arrived here." Annette looked exhausted. "I didn't know."

"About the girl?" Kon-Mai asked. "How much of a threat does she pose?"

"More than you could realize." Annette didn't look at the Chosen when she spoke to them. Though Zhang had explained to her that these aliens were on their side, she still seemed wary. "I arrived here on the 18th of August in 2038. If it is indeed 2040 as you say…" Annette swallowed, her throat dry, and looked at her hands. "Then I have been here nearly 2 years."

"Why didn't you just leave?" Bryni asked. "Sure that gate's a bit rusty, but from what I hear, there's a back way."

Annette shook her head. " You really should not have come." She hissed. "I know about the back garden. I know about the sewers, and vents. I even scaled the gate, and the walls themselves. And each time, I would turn around and be right back where I started, as though the world had inverted itself. There is no leaving this place."

In the silence that hung in the air, Kon-Mai stood. "There must be a way." She declared. "If there is escape from the Elders, then there is certainly escape from this Hell."

"Escaping the Elders nearly took our deaths." Dhar-Mon mentioned as he stood up. "I would not be so flippant with this."

"Either way, we won't get anything done sitting in this box." Gur-Rai slid the door open, poked his head out, and nodded. "Coast is clear. Taymallat, did you do any exploring in the two years you were here?"

"As much as I could while fleeing a psychotic woman with a shotgun." With her finger and began drawing in the dust on the ground. "The house is technically four stories. We are on the second floor, you've seen the first with the foyer." She drew a roof. "But there is an attic, here under the roof, and down this way is the basement. I believe there may be a fifth level under that as well."

"What makes you believe so?" Kon-Mai asked as she leaned in close.

"Once while I was hiding in the wine cellar, I found a large door hidden behind shelves and barricaded with strong wood." Annette answered. "I couldn't get it open though, even with my power…"

Gur-Rai chuckled. "What do you think, Brother? Can you rip a door off its hinges?"

Dhar-Mon sighed. "You insult me, Brother, to insinuate I am only useful for my brawn."

"Oh hey now, I never said that." Gur-Rai walked over and wrapped his arms around Dhar-Mon from behind, resting his chin on top of his big brother's head. "You're also the best cook I've ever known."

Annette looked between the three Chosen. "You three are related?"

"Yes." Kon-Mai raised a brow. "What revealed it, our coloring?"

"I should have guessed." Annette looked closer. "Same nose. Same eyes. And you two." She pointed between Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai. "You have the same chin."

"No mention of cheekbones?" Gur-Rai chuckled. "They're our best feature if I do say so myself."

Annette got to her feet, approaching Zhang who stood with his back against the wall, seemingly not bothered by the dust. "...Do you trust them?" She whispered.

Zhang raised a brow.

"I do not like working with aliens, even if they look so human." She gave Gur-Rai a side eye glance, and he smirked at her. "But if you trust them, I'll bite my tongue."

Zhang looked over at Kon-Mai, who had to remain crouched because she was taller than the ceiling.

"Do you trust them, Chilong?" Annette asked. "Can I trust them?"

Zhang swallowed the dry lump in his throat. "...Yes." He said quietly. "The Commander herself selected them."

Annette's eyebrows shot up, and then she chuckled. "Oh Sunny, qu'est-ce que tu fais?" She turned to the Chosen and nodded. "You are right, we should not stay here. If she finds us we are sitting ducks.."

"Shame. This was such a good hiding spot." Gur-Rai quipped as they fileb back out into the hall. "What's our plan, Colonel?"

Zhang sighed, gazing around the house, the familiar walls, that used to be covered in pictures of them. "...Basement." He said. "We're going to get that door open."

.

.

The basement was dark, damp, and smelled of rot. Dhar-Mon could see more spiders in the corners, and Gur-Rai had to flick away a cockroach skittering up his leg. The stone walls held the dirt at bay, but they could see roots growing through the cracks in the rocks. The wine cellar, perhaps once a thing of beauty that held a collection of the finest wine, was overgrown with moss and dust, hiding the bottles in a layer of grime.

"It's behind there." Annette pointed to one of the shelves decorated with bottles. "I managed to move the shelf, but the door behind it is stuck tight."

Dhar-Mon stepped closer and...staggered. As he drew within range of the entrance, the smell of rotting eggs and metal hit him full force, making him feel deeply sick.

Gur-Rai jumped forward and caught his brother by the arm. "Woah, easy there. You okay?"

Dhar-Mon nodded, but the world was still spinning. "...The air in this place is old." He said. "I am...simply breathless."

Kon-Mai stepped up, took the shelf by the edge, and hauled it to one side. It slid part of the way, unblocking a corner of the door. She looked up at the others, a brow raised, and Zhang came over to help her. Taking hold of the other side, he shoved it in tandem with her, and the doorway cleared.

Doorway was a loose term. The "door" was made of thick stone, and looked like it might have had a handle once, but that was long gone. As the shelf was pulled away, the smell of rot grew stronger, and Dhar-Mon fought the urge to double over.

"This is where I got stuck." Annette said. "I couldn't get through the door on my own."

"It's barely a door." Bryni said, knocking on the stone. "Amontillado! Ya in there?" She chuckled.

"If I shoot it it might come down." Gur-Rai reached for his gun.

"It might also bring the ceiling down on top of us." Kon-Mai replied. "Brothers. Colonel Zhang. Let us join our power."

Zhang looked at her skeptically.

"That is how we opened the door to rescue you." She explained, putting her hand on the stone. "Perhaps alone we are not strong enough, but together…"

"I've never been a good psion, but it's worth a shot." Gur-Rai stepped up beside his sister. "You coming, Brother?"

Dhar-Mon hesitated: every cell in his body was screaming at him to turn around, run, run away from this cursed place, and _do not open that door_, but he still put his hand on the stone beside them and closed his eyes. Behind him, he felt Malinalli's touch on his back, and all of a sudden felt a bit more at ease.

The door jolted, then slowly slid open. The Shrinemaiden stepped back, letting Gur-Rai peek his head inside. Dhar-Mon almost stumbled back against Malinalli, the stench of sulfur suddenly engulfing him. His ears were ringing and under the screeching, he heard a rising growl.

Gur-Rai drew his gun, undoubtedly feeling the surge of psionic energy as he took one step inside the pitch black room. "...Hello?"

Nothing. For a moment, it seemed as though they had imagined it.

Then a growl came from the darkness, and four weathered, clawed hands dragged their way into the light. Kon-Mai stumbled backwards into Zhang, her heart pounding.

From behind them, a scream. Annette drew her gun whirled around, pointing it at the girl in the blue skirt, who had come up behind them silently. She was slightly dirty and her shirt was torn but, for falling such a way, there were no injuries anyone could see. She cocked her own shotgun, pointing it not at them, but past them into the black room.

"Ano ang ginawa mo?!" She screamed. "Pinakawalan mo siya!"

"What is she saying?" Kon-Mai demanded, drawing her blade.

"I don't know!" Annette snapped as she removed the safety on her gun. But before the three could lunge at each other, a rumbling groan shook the very foundation of the house.

"She said…" Zhang cried as he stumbled "...We released 'him'."

It was then that Gur-Rai let out a scream, and Dhar-Mon dove in and grabbed his brother by the arm. One of the gnarled limbs had taken Gur-Rai by the leg and was attempting to drag him into the darkness. He fired a shot at the unseen enemy, but it's grip did not even falter, and it's hold on him grew even tighter.

Kon-Mai sprang into action, letting out a catlike hiss as she dove forward and sliced off the limb that was attached to her brother's leg. The creature cried out in agony, and as the limp arm dropped, purple ichor seeped into the floor. From the darkness, a pair of lilac eyes opened and glared at them.

"What the fuck is that?!" Gur-Rai spate as he scrambled back to safety, not sure if he should aim at the girl who had a gun pointed at him, or the monster that was trying to drag him to Hell.

The other three hands sprang forth, searching wildly for something—or someone—to grab onto. Zhang barely managed to duck out of the way of it's grasp, leading it to clutch the edges of the door frame. With all it's dormant strength, the creature pulled itself forward, growling as it emerged into the light.

Perhaps growling was the wrong word: the creature had no mouth, and the noises it made could rather be heard deep in the souls of all who stood close. Tattered robes hung off it's emaciated body, and rather than walk, it hovered toward them like a ghost.

"It can't be…" Bryni gasped. "That's…"

"An Elder." Dhar-Mon was as pale as the moon, his eyes wide with total abject horror. Kon-Mai stumbled backward, her breathing quickening against her will and her body shaking like a leaf in a storm. As he was perhaps the only one still with his faculties, Gur-Rai got to his feet and grabbed his siblings by their arms.

"RUN!"

They did not need to be told twice.

Bryni, Annette, Malinalli, all three Chosen, and Colonel Zhang all took off up the stairs. Zhang looked around, searching for the girl in the blue skirt, but she had already disappeared like the wind.

Behind them, they heard the walls of the basement crumble, and a plume of dust erupted as the Elder, barely more than a mummified corpse, burst out from the rubble and used it's bent limbs to drag it's body through the wooden hallways, crawling almost as fast as the group ran. Annette ducked into a small room to their left and Bryni and Zhang followed, but the Chosen and Malinalli seemed to not notice, focusing only on sprinting as fast as they could.

The Chosen were fast; with their long legs and superhuman strength, speed had never been an issue for them. But now that this thing was scuttling towards them like a spider out of hell, they just could not seem to make their legs move fast enough. Dhar-Mon scooped Malinalli into his arms, her short stature meaning she'd been falling behind, and Kon-Mai began to slow, her tired body still trembling.

"Don't you dare!" Gur-Rai grabbed her hand and pulled her along. "Keep fucking going!"

The hallway ended in an open door, light pouring through it like the pearly gates of paradise, and they all made a mad dash for it. The Elder was close on their heels, screaming at them in garbled Etheric. One clawed hand reached out and closed around Kon-Mai's leg, sending her falling and splaying across the floor, her leg bending in a way it was never meant to bend.

Gur-Rai turned and aimed his gun at the monster and unloaded a shot right into the Elder's purple eye. While it did next to nothing to actually hurt it, the wound did make it loosen its grip on Kon-Mai long enough for her to crawl away towards her brother, who looped his arm under hers and pulled her along into the sanctuary of the open door.

Dhar-Mon put Malinalli down and slammed the door closed, taking his hammer off his back and sticking it under the handle. Malinalli rushed over to Kon-Mai, who Gur-Rai was helping down into a seated position.

He took a look at her leg and turned white as a sheet. "Oh."

"It's alright." Kon-Mai tried to assure him. "I am fine, it doesn't hurt." She chuckled, perhaps to try and calm her own nerves. "It cannot be that bad."

"Konnie." Malinalli dropped beside her. "Don't look now, but it definitely is that bad."

Despite the warning, Kon-Mai looked. At first, it looked like she'd been impaled with something sharp, like a pipe. Then she saw that the object was red, and white, and…

It was her bone. She had a compound fracture. But that...didn't make sense. She'd had broken bones before, much worse than this. And this felt nothing like it.

"It does not hurt." Kon-Mai insisted. "At all."

"Well, that's good at least." Gur-Rai patted her shoulder.

"Unless you're in shock." Malinalli pulled on some Nitrile gloves. "Dhar-Mon, is that door blocked?"

"Yes." He assured her. "But I hear the...creature stalking the hall on the other side."

"You know if that thing wanted to, it could break down the door." Gur-Rai said, sliding down to sit beside his sister. "I can't believe we found an Elder in the basement…"

"Perhaps it is weak. It may not pose as much of a threat as we believe." Kon-Mai suggested. "Did you recognize it, Brother?"

"I was a bit too busy running for my life to ask if it was our long lost uncle." Gur-Rai grimaced.

Dhar-Mon turned from the door. "...It's aura was not one that I recognized." He replied to her. "I did not know there were others besides those we knew; those who created us."

"Weren't there a few Elders that XCOM killed in the Early War?" Malinalli asked as she began fussing with trying to set the bone back in place. "Maybe that was one of them."

"It's very possible." Dhar-Mon said. "But why is it here? In this place?"

"I have a more pressing question." Gur-Rai stood up.

"More pressing than the Elder trying to kill us?" Malinalli raised a brow.

"Absolutely. Where the fuck is Zhang?"

.

.

Zhang hauled Bryni to her feet, and she waved him away. "I'm fine." She insisted. "I'm fine. Just kinda winded."

"La baise qui était?" Annette spat, panting as she leaned against the wall. "Was that...it can't be a…"

"That was an Ethereal." Zhang growled. "An Ethereal. In the basement, locked away like a demon."

"Looked kinda scraggly for an Ethereal." Bryni said. "Ain't they supposed to be all godly-like?"

"They are mortal, Firebrand, just like us." Zhang pulled his pistol from his belt and cocked it. "I need to find Malinalli. She is definitely in danger."

"_She's_ in danger?!" Annette looked at him like he was insane. "_WE_ are in danger, Chilong!"

"I promised Senuna I'd protect her." Zhang glared at Annette. "We cannot be split up for long, that thing will go after someone, and if it goes after them…" He couldn't finish that sentence. "Sunny would never forgive me."

"She is not yours to worry about, Chilong." Annette insisted. "We will be lucky if any of us get out of here alive!"

"Thanks, that's helpful." Bryni said, one hand on her hip. "I'm with ol' Chilong here. Molly's my pal, and bless her heart she couldn't hit a standing target if it picked up the gun and shot itself." She pulled her gun off her back. "If it comes at her and she ain't got the others to carry her off, that demon'll drag her right on down to Hell."

Annette rubbed her hands over her face in utter exasperation. "Do you even know where to look?"

"I think I saw her and the Blue Man Group take off down the hall."

"Then we must follow the hallway." Zhang looked at Annette. "Will you stay here or come?"

Annette squeezed her eyes shut. "I never should have sent for help." She drew her own, worn out pistol. "Let's find them, Chilong."

"Righty-ho!" Bryni flung the door open and screamed.

The girl in the blue skirt, her eyes wild with fury, shoved Bryni inside and pointed her shotgun right in her face. "Walang hiya ka, punyeta!" She spat, Bryni backing away.

"What is she saying?!" Bryni let out a yelp, stumbling and falling and continuing to try and crawl away. The girl took her shot, missed as Bryni rolled off to the side, and Annette pointed her gun at the girl.

"Wait!" Zhang raised his hands. "Don't shoot!"

"Nakulong siya!" The girl looked up at them, her eyes glowing purple and her black hair floating around her shoulders. "Sino ka?! Bakit ka napunta?!"

"We don't speak Tagalog!" Annette spat. She pointed at the shotgun in the girl's hands. "Gun! Down!"

The girl instead put up her middle finger and pointed her gun at Annette.

"Bulan." Zhang's voice was calm as he stepped between the two women, looking at the girl with the blue skirt right in her glowing eyes. "Mangyaring huwag saktan kami."

Annette and Bryni looked up at Zhang in disbelief, Annette moreso, but neither of them could match the horror that appeared on the girl's face as he said her name.

"...Shaojie?" She stammered, her voice weak and cracked.

He nodded, his hands still raised. "Narito ako upang matulungan, Bulan."

Bulan's look of disbelief morphed on her face into a look so full of hate it sent chills down Zhang's spine. "Ang iyong "tulong" ay pinatay sa atin." She cocked her shotgun and pointed it in Zhang's face. He took a step backward, closing his eyes as he prepared for his end...and the sound of a pistol going off sent his ear ringing.

Bulan collapsed to the ground unceremoniously, her body crumpled like a sheet.

Annette shook her pistol, which was smoking. Turning on her, Zhang snapped. "Why did you do that?"

"Why…?" Annette looked at him in disbelief. "Chilong, she had a gun pointed at your face!"

"What'd you call her, Colonel?" Bryni asked as she scrambled to her feet. "What's that word? Bu-lahn?"

"Bulan…" He stared down at the body of the girl, blood staining her white shirt. "Her name is...was Bulan Kepa."

"And how do you know that, Chilong?" Annette asked. "She's a teenage girl, I doubt you were friends before the war."

"I know." He almost whispered. "I don't know how to explain this."

"Well, start at the beginnin'." Bryni continued to pry.

"When I was part of the Triad, our client was a Filipino man who owed us almost 2 million dollars." He whispered. "They..._we_ kidnapped his children. All of them. I was only 18, and the oldest girl was no more than two years younger."

Bryni looked down at Bulan's body. "...Heavens to Betsy…" She looked up at Zhang. "...And that's her, is it?"

"She knew me." He muttered. "She recognized me. Said my help was what doomed them to begin with."

Annette grabbed his hand. "Chilong, now is no time to dwell on this. Did you just say we need to find the child?"

"Yes." He looked to Annette. "And she's not a child anymore."

"Old habits." She pulled him out of the room, gesturing for Bryni to follow.

As they closed the door, Bulan's arm twitched violently.

.

.

Malinalli wrapped the gauze tightly around Kon-Mai's leg. "That's the best I can do for now."

"That is fine." Kon-Mai insisted. "I told you, it does not hurt."

"It should hurt." Dhar-Mon insisted, laying glowing hands over his sister's leg. "Are you dizzy? Cold?"

She shook her head. "My leg is slightly numb. Other than that, it does not feel broken in the slightest." She looked down at her leg. "How can you tell it's healing?"

"I...can feel it." He sighed. "That is a lie, I cannot feel it. In fact at the moment, I cannot feel anything but turmoil and unrest."

"Probably because of the monster that's traipsing around outside." Gur-Rai said, his ear pressed to the door. "I can hear him muttering."

"Could we speak to it?" Kon-Mai asked. "Perhaps it shall cease it's attacks."

"That sounds like a bad idea." Malinalli said as she looked to Dhar-Mon. "...But we might at least find out what it's doing here."

Dhar-Mon looked away from Kon-Mai. "Brother, will you guard the door?"

"Sure thing." Gur-Rai gave him a thumbs up.

"Malinalli, I ask that you take my hand." He said. "An Elder's mind is strong and terrible, and two minds stand a better chance than one alone."

"Of course." She took Dhar-Mon's hands and sat across from him. She felt a click, their minds linking like they had so many times before. This time, the two reached out with their collective consciousness, looking for other signals.

As they settled into their trance, Kon-Mai got to her feet, testing her leg. There was no pain. It was stiff, but she still had most of the feeling in it. It didn't feel broken.

"Something is quite wrong here." She said.

"Oh really?" Gur-Rai crossed his arms and leaned his back against the door. "What tipped you off?"

Kon-Mai sighed. "Beyond the Elder in the basement."

"I feel like that's a pretty big development, Sister." He looked behind him, as though he were waiting for something to slam against the door. Thankfully, nothing came.

Kon-Mai began to sift through the papers adorning the tables and desks. The room was too small to be a library, but the array of books gave it the impression it was at least used as a study.

"These photos are quite faded." She held one up. "The color has washed away. It's monochrome now."

"Give it here." Gur-Rai held his hand out, and Kon-Mai brought the photo into his waiting hand. He only took a glance at it before laughing. "Oh Sister, are you that naive?"

"What?" She growled.

"This is a black and white photograph." He waggled it toward her. "Humans didn't always have digital scanning technology, you know. God, you would have died in the film days."

"I knew that." Kon-Mai crossed her arms and Gur-Rai could see in her face that she, in fact, did not know that. "Why do you think it is here?"

"Who knows? Could be an old photo." He examined it in more detail. "Maybe an old family…hm." He looked closer. "Hey, Kon-Mai, remember the girl who attacked us?"

"I could not forget her if I tried." She said.

He turned the photo around. "Is it just me, or does that look like her?"

"The quality is such that it doesn't look like much of anything." Kon-Mai took the photo back and squinted at it again.

It was indeed a family photo, and a large family at that. An older man and a woman stood on either side of the group, the man wearing a business suit and looking very proper and the woman dressed in what was almost a ball gown, with high padded shoulders and a fan in her hand. Between them, five children of varying ages stood, the youngest being an infant that was held by one of the other children. Smack in the middle, the tallest girl stood, as though she were connecting it all.

Kon-Mai brought it closer. "If it _is _her, she is younger here."

"Why's it in black and white then?" Gur-Rai held up his fingers. "For one thing, if that was taken before the invasion, and I'll bet you it was, everyone had color photography by 2015. Why would they be using shitty film?"

"Perhaps it is niche?" Kon-Mai reasoned.

"Okay, but also consider." Gur-Rai held up a second finger. "The invasion happened 25 years ago. That girl was barely older than a teenager."

"Perhaps she looks young for her age." Kon-Mai said. "Malinalli is 26 and she looks incredibly young."

"She'd be at least forty, now."

"There are forty year olds that look young."

"Okay, guard the door for me for a second." He pulled away from his spot, and Kon-Mai leaned against it, watching as her brother began to rifle through the papers on the table.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Well Sister. I have one last question for you." He held up the photo again. "This looks like the same family, yes?" He held it up to a Philippine newspaper, folded neatly and covered in dust.

The glossy photo in his hand, while not a direct match, greatly resembled the photo of the family plastered across the front page, under boldly printed letters Kon-Mai couldn't decipher.

"...It appears so."

"Okay. So answer this." He held it up and pointed to the date on the paper. "So why is this newspaper dated back to 1960?"

.

.

Zhang and Bryni poked their heads out into the hall, Bryni holding her breath. Annette guarded them from behind, her eyes darting around wildly. "Mon Dieu." She whimpered. "I can feel him in my head. I can't tell if he's right behind us or on the other side of the property."

"His psionic field is overpowering." Zhang agreed.

"Y'all managed to kill these fuckers before, right?!" Bryni hissed. "How'd you do that?"

"We shot at them until they exploded." Zhang grumbled.

"Ah."

Zhang gestured for them to move, and the three crept along the hallway.

"Where ya think they ran off to?" Annette asked.

"I don't know." Zhang looked around them. "...This was the Father's wing."

"He had a wing?" Annette asked.

"He was quite wealthy." Zhang replied. "We are near the study."

"Maybe they went-" Annette broke off. "...I hear him."

"The Ethereal?" Bryni gasped. "What's he saying."

Annette grimaced in pain, clutching her head. "I...I don't know. He's speaking but I can't understand!"

"The three speak Etheric!" Bryni said. "I'll be you they could-"

"It's not Etheric!" Annette shook her head violently. "It's all turned around...I hear French, Russian, Etheric and Chinese, it's like his mind is...it's a soup, a mosh pit of stimuli."

"Don't try to reach out." Zhang knelt beside her, his hand on her shoulder. "Block him out. You can do it."

"He's too strong."

"No he's not. You are stronger, Taymallat." He insisted. "I have seen you kill these things before."

"That was different." She looked up, tears in her eyes. "I wasn't so scared back then."

"Courage is not the absence of fear." Zhang said. "Courage is remaining steadfast even when fear consumes you."

Annette took a deep breath, gripping his arms as she did. "You're right."

"I know." He helped her to her feet, looking around. He, too, could feel the Ethereal's forceful tug. Anyone with a glimmer of psionic attitude could probably feel it. Cautiously, Zhang reached out.

Annette was right. The Ethereal's mind was a mess of words and sounds and feelings. If Zhang had been less experienced it would have sent him reeling, and even now he was having trouble keeping himself from slipping into the chaos that was this creature's mind.

He lingered a moment longer, looking for...something. He wasn't sure what, but within the mass of images, he saw a group of weathered Ethereals standing in a circle. Most were purple. One had pale white skin and eyes that were more green than blue. One glimmered with gold light.

He pulled free, nearly collapsing beside Annette, his head still swimming from the madness. But now, at least, he could hear his voice, and he heard it clearly.

_**"Masha. Shamash. Coming. Come. Take me home. Take me home. Take me home."**_

.

.

It felt as though something was interfering with their attempts, trying to stop Malinalli and Dhar-Mon from reaching out to connect to whatever it was. Perhaps pushing forward was unwise.

They did it anyway.

Malinalli found herself soaring through the dark and damp hallways, moving as though she was flying. Purple energy surrounded her. Her arm hurt but…

Not her arm. Humans had two arms but when she looked down, she had four, all long and gangly. She squeezed Dhar-Mon's hands, just to keep herself grounded in reality.

The creature...the Elder...didn't know she was there. She assumed it couldn't feel her over the static already coursing through it's synapses.

_"Stay with me, little phantom."_ With Dhar-Mon's words she was pulled away, her perspective changing so she was now outside the Ethereal, looking toward it. She had not seen many Ethereals, only the Elders, and that had been through Dhar-Mon's own lens.

But she could tell this one was in bad, bad shape. It's robes (they looked different from the robes the Elders wore) were ragged, half torn and slightly burnt. There seemed to be holes in it's grey skin, exposing green bits of rotting tissue and muscle. It could barely fly anymore: instead of gliding gracefully, it's already bent feet dragged along the wooden ground, scraping off even more skin and leaving droplets of glowing blood..

She looked to the hand Kon-Mai had cut off. The hand that had hurt. Grey flesh, though rotten and crusted, encased an entirely new digit, like an embryo.

_"It can heal itself."_ She thought.

_"Impossible."_ She heard Dhar-Mon almost beside her, but it felt more within her. _"Their power is great and nearly limitless, but even the Elders cannot regrow limbs."_

But it wasn't impossible. They saw it, right there.

Malinalli reached forward with the hand she wasn't sure was there but she hoped was. She felt Dhar-Mon pulling back for a moment, before he followed her movement, extending their reach, grasping outward…

The Ethereal reeled back. It had seen them, and now they could hear—they could see—within its mind, or rather it's mess of a mind. Words, some in Etheric, some complete gibberish, and a few Malinalli understood, came at them like a wave of alphabet soup. Malinalli almost broke under the immense pressure, but she calmed her breath, stood her ground, and held.

The Ethereal saw them now, it's purple, sunken eyes breaking through them like hot coals. It threw words at them like rocks. **_"Who? Who? Who dares? Ethereal? _****Alaukika? Alaukika****_?"_**

Ethereal. It thought they, or at least Dhar-Mon, was one of its own kind.

_"Yes."_ Malinalli said, hoping to pacify it. _"Ethereals. That's us."_

Instead of calming, the Ethereal's power flared, like she had thrown gasoline on a fire. _**"Aus Alaukika."**_ It lifted it's four arms. _**"Not Ethereal. Mortal. Mortal."**_

She felt Dhar-Mon press in front her her, his more powerful mind blocking the psionic assault that was aimed at her. _"Xyuas tousal."_

The Ethereal's own power seemed to draw back, almost in confusion.

_**"Identify yourself."**_ Dhar-Mon said again, and this time she could understand him.

The Ethereal's mind was a blank slate, but through the maze of confusion and pain, one word emerged.

_**"Ya'uq."**_ It said.

She could tell Dhar-Mon did not recognize that name. _"How did you come to be here?"_ He asked.

More silence. Then, a ship, great and black and…like the Temple but different. It felt younger. A menacing fifty Ethereals stood in a circle, most grey with purple eyes save for the two who stood at the front. One shimmered with golden light. The other, green and blue, and as she gazed into the pale white face of that Ethereal, Malinalli felt her chest tighten, as though a painful memory had been dug from her psyche.

_**"Shamash."**_ Ya'uq focused his purple light on the one that was glowing gold. _**"Where is Shamash? They shall come. They shall save me. They promised."**_

Dhar-Mon's fear was palpable as he spoke. _"...There is no Shamash."_ He said. _"I know only Bhandasura, and Camazotz...and Abyzou."_

_**"Abyzou."**_ The Ethereal said the name gently. _**"...Child."**_

_"Child?"_

_**"Daughter of Shamash. Child of the Sun. Child." He sounded sad. "Only a child."**_

Dhar-Mon growled. _"She is no child. She is a monster."_

_"Dhar-Mon."_ Malinalli said quietly. _"Don't."_

Ya'uq did not seem to respond at first, so Dhar-Mon continued. _"Who brought you here? Who are you?"_

Another moment of silence before they were bombarded with words: **_"Hammon. Ilah. Jabal. Lugal. Wadd. Suwa. Tamtu. Shamash…" _**

The names began to blend into each other, and Dhar-Mon recognized none of them. Each Ethereal had a face, a name, an identifying feature and yet, he could not say he'd ever seen them before. He knew there had been other Ethereals who had come before, who had died long before his birth in the Early War, but he did not hear the names of Reue or Imdugud, or those he rarely spoke to like Xezbeth or Tiyanak, or even the names of his mother and fathers.

But at the end, there was one name. One name he knew, a name that made Malinalli shriek loud enough to sever the connection.

"Senuna."

.

.

Gur-Rai caught Malinalli as she stumbled backward, holding her head. "Woah there, I'm no matador and you're no bull, so quit charging." He led her to the table and she leaned over it, feeling like she was about to vomit. "Well? What did you find?"

"There were others." Dhar-Mon said. He was still on the floor, and Kon-Mai had abandoned the door to kneel beside him and help him. "The Ethereal that stalks these halls is called Ya'uq. He came to this place with a cohort of forty-nine others."

"Fifty in total? _Mom_ always said there were only about twenty Ethereals when they came." Gur-Rai puzzled.

"He does not know the Elders. Our Elders." Dhar-Mon shook his head, his eyes still closed as though the light hurt his eyes. "He knew Abyzou, but…"

"It seems like he knew her as a kid…" Malinalli finally choked out. "He called her a child."

"Well she definitely acts like a child." Kon-Mai muttered.

"He called her the daughter of Shamash." Dhar-Mon added. "And then, it named Shamash as one of the Ethereals who led them here. Their eyes were gold."

Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai looked at each other in confusion. "I don't remember a gold ethereal." Gur-Rai said.

"He knows Senuna." Malinalli finally added, sinking back to the floor.

The silence that followed was uncertain. Kon-Mai spoke up first. "She is the Commander. He would know her if he fought-"

"No." Malinalli turned to face her. "He knew her because she came here with him."

"Came here...what?" Gur-Rai looked thoroughly confused.

"He named the Ethereals he came here with. Named every single one." She clasped her hands. "And he said Senuna. I heard it clear as day."

A light tapping on the door knocked the three of them from their stupors, and Kon-Mai drew her blade again. "Is it him?"

"I don't care to know." Gur-Rai said as he pointed his gun at the door.

The tapping came again, rhythmically, almost like knocking. Dhar-Mon stood, and Malinalli stepped towards the door.

"Should we open it?"

"No." Kon-Mai asserted.

"What if it's the others?"

"What if it is not?"

The knocking grew into a loud banging. "HEY! Y'ALL ALIVE IN THERE?!"

"It is them!" Dhar-Mon took his hammer away from the door and opened it, moving out of the way as Bryni stumbled in, followed closely by Zhang as he pulled Annette along by the hand.

"Xièxiè tiāntáng, nǐ hái hǎo." Zhang cried as he saw Malinalli. "...You look troubled, young one. What happened?"

Malinalli and Dhar-Mon looked at each other with unease.

Zhang knelt in front of her, horror in his eyes. "What did you see?"

.

.

The moon would be full that night, as it always was. She drew her power from that moon.

The door to the attic creaked as it opened. Bulan Kepa stumbled inside, her clothes soaked in her own blood. But the wound on her neck was healed, pink skin covering the scar that would fade with the dawn.

She could not worry about herself though. Not right now. She looked around at the four beds, the ones that needed her the most.

The first one she checked on was the baby. Marikit always had trouble sleeping, and that was true tonight: her baby sister stared up at her as she wheezed, her wrinkled skin pulled tight over bones. Bulan lifted her from the crib, trying to bounce her to comfort her, and the infant's skin blistered under her touch.

Laarni was next to check on: the baby before the baby. She at least was sleeping through the undoubtedly incredible pain. The second eldest of the girls, Diwata, followed Bulan around the room with glazed eyes, her lips pulled taut against yellow teeth.

Bulan could hear Ali and Isanagi rising into sitting positions. She went to their beds, pushing them back down, crooning at them to "Sleep, sleep, please sleep."

But her siblings did not sleep. Instead, each one sat up and stared at her with open eyes.

Bulan sat in the center of their beds, facing the attic window that looked out to the glowing flowers in the garden. With her corpse-like sister in her arms and tears brimming in her eyes, Bulan began to sing.

_"Ili-ili tulog anay,_

_Wala diri imong nanay._

_Kadto tienda bakal papay._

_Ili-ili tulog anay."_

* * *

Summery: The chapter begins with Annette replaying the message she sent to XCOM, and lamenting that she sent it without knowing the full severity of the situation. The house is apparently impossible to escape, as every time she has tried, she has wound up back in the house. With few other options, the group agrees to check the basement, where Annette had found a sealed off room. Using their combined psionics, they are able to get the door open, only to reveal that a near-death Ethereal had been sealed behind the wall, much to the shock of the house's resident. After being chased through the halls, the group is separated in two, and Kon-Mai suffers a compound fracture in her leg while escaping. Mysteriously, the injury does not hurt her at all. After treating Kon-Mai's wound, Malinalli and Dhar-Mon attempt to make contact with the Ethereal, to perhaps convince it to let them leave. Zhang, Bryni and Annette, having been separated from the other group, opt to go looking for them before they are confronted by the girl in the blue skirt, whom Zhang knows and is able to speak to. While she is hostile and the confrontation leads to her being shot by Annette, Zhang reveals that in his youth as a Triad member, the girl—Bulan Kepa—was among one of the kidnapping victims. While they resolve to find the others, Malinalli and Dhar-Mon establish contact with the Ethereal, Ya'uq, who reveals that he has never met most of the Ethereals from the Early War, but came here with a coalition of fifty Ethereals, one of whom seems to have been Senuna.

(This was supposed to only be two chapters, but I am a terrible procrastinator, and I also feel like I have too much planned for this finale to have crammed it all into one chapter. That being said, this is so fun to finally get out there, and this one off spooky story is giving us some real insight into the lore~)


	27. The House That Death Forgot, Part 3

(Content warning: this chapter contains descriptions of blood/gore, death, and mentions of suicide)

The night never seemed to come. It was like the sun hung over the hills in a perpetual state of anxiety, never settling, never closing it's glaring eye. The Chosen and their human compatriots sat in the office, a feeling of morose trepidation overtaking them: time passed, on and on, and yet seemed to sit so very still.

Zhang was flipping through the books on the shelves and the papers on the desk, on a hunt for something, perhaps something to tell him there was a way out of this nightmare. Malinalli was, once again, tending to Kon-Mai's injured leg, despite the Shrinemaiden insisting it was unnecessary. It seemed her brothers were meditating, and even though the Darkstrider had never been one to proactive his psionics before, this time he had joined his brother, perhaps in the hope that it would get them an answer. Any answer.

Kon-Mai looked up at Zhang as he angrily closed the book he held, tossing it on the desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sat beside her, hesitating a bit to calm himself enough to hold a conversation "...How is your leg?" He finally asked.

"I feel no pain from it." She assured him. "Though our medic insists I do not walk on it, anyhow."

"Just because it doesn't hurt doesn't mean you aren't damaging it!" Malinalli snapped. She had been irritable since returning from her conversation with Ya'uq, and everyone had been keeping to her instructions to avoid incurring the wrath of this 5'5 force of nature.

"I know." Kon-Mai looked Zhang up and down, leaning closer to whisper. "That girl..."

Zhang sighed, absently thumbing through the pages of the old book in his hand. "That girl?"

"The one who attacked my brother and I." She said. "You knew her before?"

Zhang had retold them the story he had told Annette and Bryni, his eyes sorrowful as he did. There had not been much to say at the time, but they had all been left with questions they did not know how to ask. "Yes." He sighed. "The year was 1959. We kept the children with us through December, and returned her and her siblings at the beginning of 1960. What a way to start the decade."

Something else was weighing on Kon-Mai's mind though. "...Then you are incredibly old, Colonel Zhang."

He looked up at her with an almost blank expression. "...And?"

"And yet you fight like a man in his prime." She shifted so her good leg was under her like a cushion. "Impressive for someone who is at least…" She did the math in her head. "At least 97."

"99." He grumbled. "...I am very old, I know."

"How?" She asked.

"The Grace of the Elder's Gifts." He turned to look at her. "You hardly age either, Kon-Mai: they had to test that process somewhere."

Kon-Mai didn't know what to say to that, but thankfully, she didn't need to think long. Annette stood up, a book in hand. "Chilong, you can read Tagalog, you said?"

"I speak better than I read." He got to his feet. "But I can read it alright."

She handed the book to him; a spiral bound notebook with a blue butterfly pattern on the front. "The dates are labeled between the years of 1960-62."

"Frilly notebook." Gur-Rai opened his eyes and got to his feet. "I don't want to needlessly gender, but do you think-"

"It could be Bulan's?" Annette nodded. "If Chilong can translate, we'll find that out."

Zhang looked away, and Kon-Mai could see there were tears in his eyes. "I don't know if I can." He said, and they knew that it had nothing to do with the language.

"Colonel, I know ya feel bad." Bryni said. "But if that girl's as old as ya say, maybe she knew what was happenin'. People don't just stay young n' pretty forever for no reason."

"We still need to get out of here." Gur-Rai said. "It sucks that she died, but it's going to suck a lot more if we all die with her."

Annette flipped open the first page, and pushed the book toward Zhang, who reluctantly took a seat on the floor and cleared his throat.

.

.

She closed the door to the attic quietly. She had not had to remain so silent in a long time, but now she could feel him, and he could feel her.

_Or had it always been so?_ She had felt reprieve when he was locked away in the cellar. Behind the thick stone walls it was hard for him to invade her mind, but because of that reprieve, she had become sloppy. When Bulan closed her eyes, she was there with him, looking through his purple gaze. She could feel him pressing against her eye sockets, looking through her eyes into her world. **_Coming_****.** She heard his thoughts. **_I am coming. I am here for you._**

_What do you want?_

**_Not want._**

Bulan had tried to imagine death once before, and what consumed his mind felt just like that, so empty and horrifying, nothing and everything, blackness surrounding them.

_Death.__** Death. **_

.

.

"January 27th, 1960." Zhang read aloud. "Father has built another gate around our property. He's thinking of sealing up the secret entrance, but the cook uses it to bring in deliveries. He still doesn't know I like to sneak out into the garden at night."

"Pretty mundane so far." Annette said. "Like a...normal girl."

"Mother said the new baby is going to be a girl." Zhang continued. "I'm already tired from the other little ones, I wish she would practice some restraint. She just told me when I get married, I'll understand." He turned the page. "February 3rd, 1960."

"Kon-Mai's birthday!" Gur-Rai winked.

Zhang shot him a look. "School rules apply here, no talking while I'm talking."

Gur-Rai crossed his arms.

"Father's been in a lot of meeting's recently. He won't tell us the subject matter like he used to. It doesn't make his activities any less illegal if he stops talking about them. It just makes it so we live in darkness. February 14th, 1960. I spent time in the garden with Ali and Isanagi. My brothers have a talent for making flowers grow and Isanagi in particular has palms that are very green."

"Palms that are green?" Malinalli chimed in.

"I believe you'd know it as having a green thumb." Zhang clarified, and then kept on reading. "March-"

"Why don't you just skip until you find something interesting?" Gur-Rai cut in once again.

Zhang glared at him. "This is interesting to me."

"Yes, but does it help us?" Even so, he leaned his elbow on his knee as though to get comfortable.

Zhang ignored him, but even so he flipped though a good amount of pages. "March 2nd, 1962. There have been amazing meteor showers all this month. Mother said we aren't allowed to stay up late, but last night I snuck the little ones outside to watch it. I am glad I did so, because last night was particularly beautiful, and the meteors that fell were the size of stars themselves. I even felt one hit the earth. The very ground trembled."

Kon-Mai scooted closer. "A meteor shower is never so common on Earth."

"...March 5th, 1962. The gardener saw something...strange. A creature, he said. It must have been a monkey of some kind, because it was as small as a child but walked upright on two legs. Mother thinks it may be an orphan from the nearby city coming to rummage in our scraps. When we told my father, he panicked and locked up the entire house, said no one goes in or out. We tried to tell him he is paranoid but he says he will not risk his family again. We are so privileged he would ignore a starving child? I'm going to go out tonight with some food. There is no doubt I can help."

Zhang hesitated, and turned the book so the others could see what was written next. The entry was scrawled hastily, as though in a panic.

"Not a child. Not a child. It's not even human. It's skin is grey and it's eyes, it's eyes..." He trailed off. "That's where that one ends."

"A creature the size of a child, with grey skin…" Kon-Mai looked between Annette and Zhang, who were nodding.

"Sectoids. Or at least, that was what they used to look like." Annette looked deeply troubled. "But this is from 1962. The invasion happened in 2015."

"_Our_ invasion happened in 2015." Gur-Rai clarified. He did not elaborate, but they could all tell what he was implying.

Zhang kept on reading. "March 6th. I told Mother and Father about what I saw, and Father has confined me to my room for the rest of the week. Mother believes what I saw was a _mangalo_. Father has been on the phone with the company who installed our gates, he thinks it's someone else who has come to steal us away again. I don't know what I think it was. I don't know what I'd rather it be.

March 15th. Mother and Father are fighting more and more often. Mother wants to rehire some of the old security guards but Father refuses, says they'll sell us out just like last time. He keeps the doors locked and the windows covered. I can hear the creatures outside, skittering in the bushes. Last night I heard tapping on my window as I slept. I didn't look, I was too scared."

Kon-Mai sighed. "That poor child."

"April 8th. Father has taken to staying up all night. He walks the halls like a ghost, shining his flashlight out the windows at the slightest shadow. I can feel a heaviness in the air. The days have been dark. When I looked out the crack in my window, there was something glowing purple outside.

April 23rd. Marikit is ill, she came down with a fever last night. No other symptoms, her nose is not stuffy but she is wheezing. I have noticed I have had slight trouble breathing as well. Father is up day and night; he says there's a tall man outside, waiting to snatch us away. Mother is pleading with him to let us out, if only just to take the baby to a doctor, but he yells at her: he says the evil men have returned to kill us, and he isn't going to let that happen.

May 1st. No one has gone in or out in months. The phones don't work anymore, and Father is insistent that that means they cut the lines. Marikit keeps getting worse and worse, and now Laarni and Ali are sick as well. Mother has locked the door to the bedroom and won't open it, I can hear her crying day and night. Tonight I looked out the window and I saw him. The tall man."

"I'm gonna guess the tall man is our wrinkly friend." Gur-Rai added.

"I reckon." Bryni nodded in agreement. Her voice was soft and sad.

"...May 7th, 1962. Father took his gun and went to kill the tall man. He said he wouldn't let anyone hurt us ever again. I begged him not to." Zhang paused, scanning over the journal's blank lines. "May 8th. I found Father's shotgun on the front porch. The door was wide open. My head is heavy and my throat is burning. Mother won't open the door. All the little ones are sick…" He stopped, his face twisting into a look of horror.

"Zhang?" Annette reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it?'

"...May 8th. I'm sorry little ones. I hope we meet again…" He ran his hand along the lines of text. "...May 9th. I put the shotgun in my mouth and pulled the trigger. I felt my skull being ripped apart. I felt myself fading. And then I awoke again."

There was a collective gasp from the room, and everyone held that shock for just a moment. Zhang continued.

"I tried again, this time pointing at my heart. My chest exploded and I couldn't breathe, and then I could once again."

Kon-Mai got to her feet, her face pale. "She has already died once before."

"I am in Hell." Zhang's voice shook as he read. "Damned to live in suffering and agony for all eternity, trapped within this house that death forgot."

.

.

Maybe they could have helped, Bulan thought.

It was a stupid thought. They were just as trapped as her. Most of them even stank of the same psionic power that Ya'uq smelled of. They reeked of the sulfur and metal that filled her senses when she tried to take her own life. Even if they stood a chance to hurt him, and she knew for a fact they couldn't, no one could. Except for her.

She picked up her shotgun and closed her eyes. _I know you can hear me._

_**She speaks.**_ Ya'uq seemed to chuckle, tickling the deep regions of her mind. _**You speak to me, child.**_

_I sealed you away once before. I can do it again._

_**No. No more hiding. No more rotting away. Like the moon steals the sun's light, your life is already mine.**_

.

.

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then, Zhang dropped the book and let out a noise, somewhat between a laugh and a cry.

"She can't die." He whispered, his head in his hands. "She can't die."

"Then she's still in this house somewhere." Annette sounded afraid and was already reaching for her pistol.

Zhang stood. "No. No, not again. We have to help her this time, if she has been trapped here since 1962…" He clenched his fists. "Taymallat, I did this to her."

"Zhang, don't be ridiculous." Annette insisted. "You didn't send the Elder here. You didn't trap her."

"No, but I was the reason her father locked them away, why he didn't hire armed guards that could, maybe, have helped them. Instead he tried to fight what was essentially God with a shotgun."

"Hey, a shotgun can do wonders on the right god." Gur-Rai winked. "I should know."

"Well it wasn't enough." Zhang snapped. "She's all alone in here, I destroyed her life once. I have to save her."

"And in doing so, perhaps we will save ourselves." Kon-Mai added. "We must locate the girl. She is the secret to unlocking this cursed place."

"Yeah." Gur-Rai jabbed at the door. "But to do that we gotta risk running into old wrinkly out there."

"Perhaps..." Dhar-Mon finally spoke up, taking a deep breath as he broke his trance. The flecks of purple psionic energy that rained around him spun and disappeared like petals in the wind. "Or perhaps we can call her to us."

"You think she'll listen?" Bryni asked.

"It needs to be someone she'd trust." Annette said. "Chilong, she knows you."

"She hates me." He crossed his arms. "No trust there."

Malinalli folded her arms. "I could give it a shot." She said. "I have the psionics."

"You're not even from the same country." Annette said. "And I don't suppose you speak Tagalog?"

Malinalli looked away, seeming to blush in humiliation. There was a collective silence all around.

"I'll do it." Bryni finally chirped.

"You? She doesn't know you at all!"

"Yeah, but I ain't got no glowy power, and I'm 100% home grown." She gave them a small, two fingered salute. "Human to human, woman to woman? I betcha I can get her to talk."

Annette and Zhang exchanged glances, and Kon-Mai nodded. "It is our best option, considering."

"Righty-ho." Bryni plopped down beside Dhar-Mon. "What do I do, Big Guy."

Dhar-Mon rolled his eyes and held out his hands. "Do not do anything. Completely clear your mind, and let me guide you."

"That won't be hard." Bryni giggled and tapped her head. "There ain't much up there ta begin with."

.

.

To Bryni, this felt kind of like her first time flying. She had no control over where she went, hurdling over the dips and bobs in the air, incapable of managing the way her body reacted to the sheer excitement. Except her body wasn't even there, which was pretty good because she would have spewed the remains of her last lunch.

Her vision was a swirl of purple light and deep, cold darkness, a void so encompassing that if she looked too close, it threatened to swallow her. She rode the waves, keeping her mind blank like Dhar-Mon had told her to, until suddenly it felt as though she were being squeezed, like the walls were pressing in around her. She took a gasping breath of air, and suddenly-

She was in another room, at the end of a long, dark hallway. At the other end, she recognized the young woman from before, her long black hair coving the bloodstains on her once white blouse. Her back was to Bryni as she peeked around another corner.

_"Um…"_ Bryni cleared her throat. _"Howdy!"_

Bulan jumped, pointing her gun at Bryni. She wasn't sure if a bullet would hurt her in this form, but she put her hands up nonetheless.

_"Woah there!"_ She tried to speak calmly. _"Settle down, girl. I ain't here to hurt ya."_

"Ikaw ang babae." Bulan said. "Sa pangunahing bulwagan."

_"Um…"_ Bryni was already running into a problem. _"I...don't speak Tagalog."_

Bulan looked irritated, but instead of firing, she bit the inside of her lip and lowered her gun. She seemed to be thinking.

_"You...don't speak English?"_

Bulan knew enough to shake her head to that.

_"Psionics can't do the translating, can they?"_ Bryni half-heartedly chuckled. _"...Guess not."_

Bulan took a step towards her. "...Paano...hay...del español?"

_"You know Spanish?"_ Bryni perked up. _"No, wait, not me, my...um...mi amiga!" _Bryni said excitedly. _"Oh god, I had about a year of this and it was in elementary school."_ She waved her hands wildly. _"Mi amiga speak español!"_

Bulan couldn't help but giggle at that, especially when Bryni made a talking motion with her hand. "Um...dónde?"

_"We're...uh…"_ Bryni looked around. _"...We're in an office."_

Bulan shook her head. Even if she knew what Bryni meant, she had no idea which room she was referring to. Bryni tried to chew her thumbnail before remembering she was essentially a projection at the moment. Hmm...

_"C'mere."_ Bryni gestured for her to come closer. _"I wanna show ya."_

Bulan looked hesitant.

_"Por favor?"_

The girl hesitated, then took a few steps toward Bryni, close enough so that the pilot could reach out and put one finger against Bulan's forehead.

She imagined herself walking through the halls, from the room they thought Bulan had died in, to the maze off halls. Left, another left, right, through a door…

Bulan pulled away, but when Bryni looked up at her, her face was glowing with a smile. "Ang silid ng pagguhit!" She picked up her shotgun. "Alam ko ang lugar na iyon! Kikitain kita!"

_"Hold up!"_ Bryni called after her as Bulan took off down the hall. _"Uh...I'll see you there?"_ She looked up as though she were talking to God. _"Okay Big Man. Pull me out."_

Same rush, same feeling of bobbing up and down, and suddenly she felt solid again, the floor underneath her and people around her.

Bryni opened her eyes and gave a thumbs up. "Looks like she's headed our way."

"Hopefully she isn't stopped by that demon outside." Dhar-Mon got to his feet. "What did she say?"

"Nothin' I could understand." Bryni shrugged. "But-"

There was a thud, then a rabid banging noise against the door, and the group looked around warily.

"That oughta be her." Bryni said.

In any case, Gur-Rai and Annette still cocked their guns as Kon-Mai walked over, put one hand against the door, and pulled it open.

.

.

He wondered why even after all these years, he had never managed to free himself of this mortal coil. He had never shed this dying body and finally ascended.

Ya'uq felt his old, old body breaking down around him. Even as his psionics held everything in place, even as he slowed time to an agonizing crawl, he could feel milliseconds slipping through his fingers. Milliseconds of precious consciousness that he could not afford to lose.

Do not go gently into that dark night. He would rage against the dying of the light.

.

.

Bulan Kepa pushed past her and stepped inside, looking around, sneering at Zhang. She looked around warily at the others before her eyes settled on Bryni. "Kaibigan mo?"

Bryni gestured to Malinalli, who waved hesitantly, looking very confused. "Um…?"

"She said she speaks a little Spanish!" Bryni cut in. "So I said to talk to ya."

"Oh!" Malinalli looked pleased. "Oh, yeah, I can definitely translate!"

Zhang crossed his arms and said nothing.

Bulan stepped forward, still unsure about the people surrounding her. "Tu...la amiga?"

"Sí, también soy la oficial médica." Malinalli had to physically stop herself from speaking so fast, as the poor girl didn't seem to have a good handle on the language. "Si tiene alguna herida, puedo tratarla."

"Oficial...médica?" Bulan's face seemed to light up. "Maaari kang makatulong? Puede...usted ayudar?"

Malinalli nodded and began to reach for her tools, but Bulan stopped her.

"Hindi ako, hindi ako. No *me ayudas." She was practically bouncing as she began pulling Malinalli towards the door.

"No." Dhar-Mon stepped in front of her. "Where are you taking her?"

"Ilipat, por favor!" Bulan seemed to be shaking. "Ang mga maliliit!"

"The little ones." Zhang said, finally fed up with the guessing and the shaking and the state of confusion everyone was in. "She has four siblings, Malinalli, and I assume she wants you to see them."

Malinalli looked at Bulan. "Tus hermanos?"

Bulan nodded, pointing out the door. "Por favor." She cried. "Please."

.

.

They could hear Ya'uq still dragging himself along the halls. As they passed the second floor balcony, now partially destroyed, they heard him muttering to himself down in the foyer and saw hints of his sporadic purple glow. Kon-Mai reached for her brothers' hands, either for her own protection or theirs.

Zhang hesitated before they lost sight of him, and for a moment he could tell Ya'uq sensed him. The Elder reached out with his mind, and while Zhang blocked his advance, the demon pried one thing from the black depths.

_**Gone.**_ Ya'uq reeled back. _**The others are gone.**_

Zhang turned and followed the group back up to the attic.

The door was the only thing at the top of a flight of stairs, isolated from the main house yet still accessible enough to be a logical place for children to sleep. Bulan led the way, turning to Malinalli, who looked confused.

"...Realmente puedes...ayuda?" Bulan asked.

Malinalli hesitated, unsure if she should give the answer she usually did. Nothing was certain on the battlefield and in here it was even less so. But Bulan still had her gun.

She nodded.

Bulan opened the door, and right away they were hit with the smell of rot. Most of them cringed, and Gur-Rai actually had to turn away, covering his face as though he would vomit if he could.

Malinalli, unfazed by the smell, stepped inside. She had seen the worst of the worst in bootcamp, but as she saw what was causing this stench, even this made her gasp.

The first thing she saw was the baby: practically an infant, still in her crib. Or, rather, it appeared to be what remained of an infant, her skeletal body only barely keeping hold of her dry skin. She looked around, the beds growing in size, each one holding a child more emaciated than the last, all of them nearly dead…

"What happened?!" She cried, before she took a breath, putting her profession face back on. "Qué les pasó a las niños?"

"Nagkasakit sila nang lumitaw ang manglo." She answered in Tagalog, pausing for a moment.

"She says they fell ill when the mangalo...the Sectoids first arrived." Zhang translated for her.

Bulan pointed her gun at him, and he held up his hands. Dhar-Mon stepped between the two. "There is no need for that. We are not your enemy."

Bulan seemed shaken, her eyes still trapped on Zhang's face. "...Matanda ka." Lowering her gun, she took a fistful of her own, black hair, staring at it. "...Ano ang itsura ko?"

"How old do you look? Young." Zhang answered in English at first, not thinking. "You look young. Ang parehong edad noong nakilala kita."

She lowered her rifle as Malinalli turned back to her. "These children are…" She began. "They should be dead...ellos deberían estar muertos."

Bulan shook her head. "No...Ellos viven. Ellos respiran."

"Yes but…" She put a hand on her chest. "My chest...my body is filled with moisture. Mi cuerpo esta lleno de humedad." She knelt down beside the bed where the second eldest, Diwata, lay, and put a hand on her chest. "Her blood pressure is zero. Su presión arterial es cero. No hay sangre para bombear. No hay vida."

Bulan shook her head once again. "No!"

"Bulan." Zhang said. "When Ya'uq came here, what did he do to you? Ano ang ginawa sa iyo ni Ya'uq?"

She refused to answer, power walking over to her siblings once again. "Mentirosa!" She spat at Malinalli. "Salvarlos a todos!"

"I'm trying!" Malinalli cried.

"Bulan, we must know what Ya'uq's part in this is." Dhar-Mon stepped forward. "If he is behind the state of your siblings, then we must know."

"Hindi ko alam kung paano niya ito ginagawa!" Bulan let out a sob.

"She doesn't know how…" Zhang raised a brow. "...But you know it's him? Ya'uq?"

Bulan nodded.

"Then we remove him." Kon-Mai reached for her sword. "If we eliminate the demon, then he shall release the children's souls."

"Hindi mo siya papatayin." Bulan looked up with purple fire glowing in her eyes.

"She says we can't kill him." Zhang said. "Bakit?"

"Dahil pinipigilan niya ang oras na lumipat." She said.

"He keeps time from passing…?" Zhang's eyes grew wide. "Kon-Mai."

"Yes?"

"Your leg still doesn't hurt, does it.?"

"No…" She blinked. "...And it should, by now."

"He has done something to affect the flow of time." Dhar-Mon exclaimed. "I did not know psionics could. But why…?"

"He's doing something to them." Zhang spat. "He's feeding off of them, draining their life force, but at the end of all of it he slows down time, so much it's practically stopped."

"To keep them from actually dying." Annette whispered. "This way, the family never dies."

Zhang looked at Bulan once again, his eyes harsher than they had been. "You look fine. Better than fine. Kaya bakit hindi ka sakit?"

Her eyes glowing purple still, Bulan turned her back on him refusing to answer what sounded like an accusation. She turned back to Malinalli, leaning on her gun carelessly. "Quiero...mis hermanos sanados."

Malinalli took a breath. "I can't…" She shook her head. "No puedo curarlas. Even if we went back to the Avenger, they'd surely die in transport-"

Bulan cocked her gun at her and pulled the trigger. The bullet whizzed past Malinalli's face, and Dhar-Mon pulled her into his arms and held up his hand: purple energy, rivaling Bulan's, glowing in his palm.

"We are trying to HELP YOU!" He spat. "If you harm her, you will face the wrath of TWO DEMONS TONIGHT!"

"Brother, stop!" Kon-Mai cried.

"Sige at subukan! Hindi mo siya papatayin!" She bared her teeth.

"There must be a way to kill him, Bulan." Zhang stepped forward, his hands up.

She let out the breath she seemed to be holding, letting her gun arm drop, and nodded. "Nasaktan ko si Ya'uq. Sa harap."

"You hurt him?" Zhang gasped.

She nodded, then let down her gun for a moment. She hesitated, reaching back to undo the ribbon cinching her shirt at her waist.

The crew gathered in closer, curious as to what she was about to reveal. She let drop the ribbon, turned and lifted her shirt to reveal a gaping hole, pulsating and empty, nearly revealing her spine. There was no blood, but they could easily see the meat within.

"That looks like it hurts!" Bryni cried.

"One can...grow accustomed to pain." Kon-Mai said quietly. "Vox Ya'uq did this?"

"No." She said, her voice sounding almost sad. "Nang ikinulong ko siya, binaril ko siya sa likuran…"

"...And your wound comes from a shotgun..." Zhang said softly. "Your wounds appear on him. And his on you."

"But that means y'all can hurt each other!" Bryni cried. "Y'all _can_ die! Maybe if _you_..." She trailed off, realizing what that meant.

"Anong taon?" Bulan's question cut her off. "Que año es? Ahora?"

Zhang bit his lip, swallowing. "...The year?" He sighed. "2040."

Bulan let out a soft chuckle, stepping slowly into the middle of the room. "Kung gayon. Ano ang punto?" She sat down, cross legged, on the floor of the bedroom. "Everything I love...dead...or here."

.

.

Gur-Rai looked up as he heard someone approaching from the stairs. His position of leaning against the wall was slightly uncomfortable, but he didn't want to sit, in case he had to spring back up into action again.

He saw his sister coming down the stairs, limping slightly on her broken leg, and he took that chance, jumping up and going to help her. "So?"

She sighed. "There is much to consider."

"Oh really?"

She nodded, settling on the last stair and letting her leg rest. "Vox Ya'uq _can_ be killed."

"...And?" He raised a brow. "That's a good thing, yet you sound like you're disappointed."

"He can only be killed by Bulan herself." She elaborated. "My striking off his hand slowed him down, but according to Malinalli he has already regrown the limb. And Bulan has survived a shot to the neck…"

Gur-Rai pursed his lips. "So I'm guessing that's why she can't die either."

"The two are…" She sighed. "It is a more powerful psionic link than I've ever seen. They are effectively immortal. The only wounds that remain are those that are dealt at the hand of the other."

"So why doesn't she just kill him?" He asked. "And he's been wandering this place for ages, why hasn't he killed her?"

"His presence is what is keeping her dying siblings alive…" Kon-Mai's voice cracked a bit and she cleared her throat.

"_Alive?_ I can smell the mold from down here." He shuddered.

"That is the children."

"Great." Gur-Rai hugged himself. "And she doesn't see how keeping them alive is cruel and unusual?"

Kon-Mai hesitated at that. "...I would like to walk for a bit."

"Your leg-"

"Is in no more danger of breaking than before." She said as she stood. "I need to get away from that place. It's making me ill."

They made their way down the empty hall, watching for the Elder. They could feel him, his aura similar to the elders they knew and "loved", but it felt much older. It faded in and out like a receding tide.

The hallway felt like it was endless, and the silence felt like it was crushing. Kon-Mai stopped short and Gur-Rai looked up at the door they had just stopped in front of. That same smell of rot was coming from behind it, and he swore he heard whispering.

"...Didn't that diary say her mom locked herself in her room?"

Kon-Mai nodded. The two exchanged nervous glances and stepped forward, reaching for each other first, then the handle of the door.

.

.

Negotiating was useless.

They had all piled out into the hall when it became clear that Bulan was no longer listening to their attempts at bargaining. She had effectively shut down at this point, refusing to respond to anyone unless it was in relation to one of the dying children.

"We can't leave." Annette repeated for the tenth time. "That...thing, he's keeping us here."

"...Do you think we'll end up like them?" Malinalli asked. "If the children began wasting away when Ya'uq arrived, who's to say this isn't his plan? Trap people in here, suck them dry, leave them like that for all eternity."

"The Elders…" Dhar-Mon's voice was unusually quiet. "The Elders were always talking about the great void beyond death, how it was a demise to be feared. Who is to say Ya'uq is not also seeking some sort of eternal life?"

"Well that's right comforting." Bryni put a hand on her hip, playing with her gun. "Look, the Elders ain't immortal, and Little Miss Death comes for everybody. I say we take our guns and go at the fucker with everything we got."

They all turned and stared at Bryni like she had finally snapped. "That's a terrible idea." Annette deadpanned.

"It's the _only_ idea." Bryni retorted. "Unless you wanna go back in there and convince Bulan to die for us."

"They have to kill each other." Dhar-Mon rubbed his temples. "And when one dies…"

"Yep." Bryni looked away. "Ain't that how it goes?"

Gur-Rai and Kon-Mai came jogging back down the hall, their faces pale-or as pale as they could seem with already blue skin.

"Are you two alright?!" Dhar-Mon cried, pushing past the group and running to his younger siblings. "Do not run off where I cannot see you! You could get hurt!"

"We're not children, Brother." Kon-Mai grumbled, leaning against the wall. "We must prepare some kind of strike against Ya'uq. We cannot stay here."

"We were just discussing that." Malinalli said. "I agree we should at least try...better than sitting here to rot."

There was collective silence all around. And then…

Annette sighed. "Let's try and get some rest first. Then, we fight God."

"I'd say he's the Devil." Gur-Rai shrugged. "But let the theologians debate that."

.

.

Even the night had a strange brightness hanging over it, the sun refusing to fully, properly descend into the horizon. The group had settled in a nearby room, the remains of what looked like was one of the children's bedrooms.

Crammed into the tight space, the Chosen cuddled up to each other. Kon-Mai lay in the center of both of her brothers' embraces, while Dhar-Mon wrapped his large body as best he could around the both of his siblings. Gur-Rai slept with his head on his sister's stomach, using her like a pillow, his only sense sense of comfort in this terrifying place.

The only one not asleep was Zhang. Quietly, he slipped from the room and into the hallway, up the stairs, and to the door that was now locked. Bulan had all but barricaded herself inside, but he could feel her.

"Bulan." He whispered, his voice scratchy.

At first she didn't answer, but he heard her shift.

_"You don't have to speak."_ He said in Tagalog. "_Just listen. I know this was all because of me. The Triad should never have brought you or your siblings into what was your father's business, and in doing so we all but ruined your chance at a normal life."_ He took a breath. _"I'm so sorry."_

Silence. Then, movement. He felt the door shift just a bit.

_"If anyone deserves to be trapped here, it is me."_ Zhang continued. _"You should be the one who goes free."_

He heard her whimper.

_"But please."_ He hissed. _"I know you love your siblings. You must know that this isn't fair to them. It's not fair to keep them trapped like this-"_

_"_You_ kept us trapped."_ She growled. _"You kept us like this for months. We got to see the sun once a day. I thought you were going to sell my sisters and I into slavery!"_

Zhang stood in silence, tears burning his eyes.

_"You have no right to tell me what they deserve, old man."_ She growled. _"You're just as bad as Ya'uq."_

_"...You're right."_ He said quietly. _"In that case, the people here cannot leave unless you help them. If not for your siblings-"_

Bulan let out a yelping laugh. _"Them?! I don't know any of them!"_ She spat. _"Why should I die for them?!"_

_"They're good people!"_

_"Like you?"_ She hissed. _"There are no good people. There are only those who survive and those who don't. And _we_ are still alive."_ she sounded hesitant for just a moment. _"...Please go. If you stay, fine. But don't expect mercy from me."_

Zhang pulled away from the door, his heart heavy. There would be no winning this battle. They could not even die.

.

.

The sun was still not up by the time they woke, but it hung on the horizon and cast a shadow over what remained of the day. It felt as though no time had passed at all.

The Hieromonk woke first, a chilling feeling in his bones as his siblings stirred beside him. They would have to hunt tonight, and he knew this as he shook his brother gently: this was what he was born for after all.

Gur-Rai vaguely swatted at him. "Mmmmn go away."

"No, Brother. We must wake up." He shook Kon-Mai at the same time, whispering to her. "How is your leg?"

"Fine." She said quietly. "Is it time?"

"It's as good a time as any." Annette said as she got to her feet, clearly having been awake for hours. "So what now? How do we plan to lure him out?"

"I shall take care of that." Zhang said.

"Do you want to die very rapidly?" Annette raised a brow. "Because if so that's clearly the best tactical decision."

"Nobody can die in this house." Zhang assured her.

"That doesn't help." Annette insisted. "Please don't get hurt."

He nodded, but the look on his face was empty and sad.

The rest of the party began to stir, Malinalli sitting up against the wall. Her curly hair was a matted, tangled mess, falling out of what remained of her braid, and her eyes looked tired and haunted. She began opening up some rations they brought, but no one took any. No one felt like eating, either from the magic, or the intense feeling of dread.

They went out into the foyer, minding the broken bits of wood, and pushed open the heavy door. Kon-Mai was looking around, her ears picking up every single sound. Gur-Rai was facing behind them, his eagle eyes scanning the room. Dhar-Mon pulled his hammer from his back and stepped forward, out into the garden.

They shifted into the open space of the yard, the glowing flowers reaching out from their stems towards them. They heard a quiet noise behind them, akin to static, and smelled sulfur and rot.

Zhang took a deep breath in and let it out, his eyes glowing. "He is upon us."

.

.

Bulan stared at the window as she saw Ya'uq's distinct purple glow begin to move through the house towards them. They were doomed. Even if death never came to this place, he would beat them within an inch of their lives and drain them dry. They had no chance to do him any harm.

She looked to her siblings, still confined to their beds. Diwata looked lucid this morning, and she was staring at Bulan, her eyes expectant. As though she were waiting. She always had been the smart one.

Bulan scoffed and shook her head. Even if she helped them, they would still lose. And her family, her happiness, hinged on staying right here. Avoiding Diwata's piercing eyes, she turned on her heel, leaving the attic and stepping into the dark, musty hallway. The door at the end was open, just a crack. Barely enough to tell someone had gone inside but just enough to know…

"Nanay?" She called out to her mother, and heard a soft sound of movement. Bulan jogged, that jog turned into a sprint as she raced down the hall, eagerly awaiting the warm embrace of her…

She did not scream at the sight of her mother. She could not muster a scream, the sound was stuck in her throat at the shock that awaited her. She could only gaze blankly at the sight of her mother hanging by her neck, from the ceiling that should have rotted years ago but didn't.

The woman moved, the rotting frames creaking as the rope swung just a bit, and Bulan's poor mother reached out, her wrinkled hand longing for her daughter's touch.

Instead of going to her, Bulan looked down at the gun in her hand, and thought of how desperately she wanted to end this suffering. She sank to her knees, the floor underneath her covered in dust that seemed to cover her like a blanket.

This was not fair. Not to them. Not to her. Not to the people trapped here. Not to the little ones. Not to her mother.

.

.

The battle did not begin in their favor.

Ya'uq emerged from the darkness of the front door, dragging himself out with his gnarled hands. The group scattered, Kon-Mai drawing her sword and cloaking herself, disappearing into the wind. Dhar-Mon held his hammer but also conjured up his own psionic energy. Gur-Rai grappled to a nearby tree, Malinalli dove for cover, and the rest drew their guns.

They were not here to play games. Zhang gave the order. "Shoot to kill!"

Ya'uq rose up to his full height, raised his arms, and made a sound that suddenly cut across the minds of everyone listening. It felt like a needle piercing the brain. Kon-Mai involuntarily dropped her cloak, and Gur-Rai collapsed from the tree branch he had stood on.

**"Live. Live. You all live."** Ya'uq whispered desperately. **"I see the void. I cannot die. Don't let me die."**

Dhar-Mon, recovering from the psionic blow the quickest, tried to rush Ya'uq and did, in fact, manage to swing and slam his hammer into the creature's hip. For a moment, it seemed as though the wound would stay.

Then with a crunch, Ya'uq's hip righted itself. The Elder gazed down at Dhar-Mon, purple eyes glowing, and as he raised his arms, Dhar-Mon felt the same stinging pain in his head he'd felt when Bhandasura had nearly killed him. He tried to duck away but collapsed, blood dripping from his nose.

Malinalli screamed and rushed over, throwing herself over the much larger man and right into the path of the Elder. Zhang called out for her, and Annette broke formation and rushed Ya'uq. What her plan was, no one would know, because Ya'uq swatted her aside like she weighed nothing. She across the yard, her back hitting the greenhouse and cracking the glass, nearly shattering it.

Kon-Mai rushed forward toward the beast, but though her leg did work it was still a sore point, and it slowed her down enough that Ya'uq got the jump on her. She swung and, like always, the blade hit it's target, but Ya'uq seemed to not even notice it, and instead he grabbed the Chosen woman by her braids and slammed her head into the ground, leaving her dazed.

Zhang fired, again and again, but if he was hitting this creature (and he honestly wasn't sure if he was), then his bullets were doing less than nothing. The Chosen themselves couldn't bring this thing down. There really was no winning…

Then he heard it. The footsteps.

Bulan stepped from the house, practically glowing in the low light. Ya'uq turned his gaze on her, his eyes wide.

Their eyes met, as though they were having an entire conversation without speaking. For a moment, it looked as though they had known each other their entire lives. This was the reunion of old friends.

Bulan said nothing as she pointed her shotgun forward, and Ya'uq roared and charged her, trying to stop her.

As the first hit tore into Ya'uq, splitting the Elder's chest open in a shower of purple ichor, so too did a stain of red splatter on Bulan's shirt. She cried out, stopping briefly, long enough for Ya'uq to sweep her away with his hand, causing her to drop her gun as she fell to the side. She got back to her feet, holding her now very injured chest and struggling to breathe. He would never deal the killing blow, but she saw him grab for her again and slid out of the way, only just missing his grabbing hands.

Ya'uq let out a roar that shook the very foundations of the house, bringing down some of the intricate baroque stonework. Those who were standing fell to their knees, and those already on the ground tried to cover their heads. Bulan frantically searched for her shotgun but it had disappeared into the aether.

"Hey." A gravely voice hissed, and Gur-Rai tapped the ground near her. He was laying in the bushes under the tree, and she looked over, their eyes meeting. With a toothy grin, he pulled his machete from his belt and tossed it to her. "Use that."

She looked down at the machete, smiled, and nodded at him. Getting back to her feet, she took a breath and charged, not daring to waste a second.

The first swipe cut so deep into Ya'uq's hip it sent him tumbling to the ground on his knees. Bulan too faltered, but she miraculously kept her footing despite the blinding pain. Unyielding, she did not think, she simply swung at him, cutting across his eyes. Her scream was almost as loud as his, but she was undeterred, even though her vision was quite literally nothing but red.

Ya'uq reached out for her one last time, and it looked almost like he was begging. One last word. _**Please.**_

One fell swoop. As he bent over, Bulan shoved the blade into Ya'uq's skull, cracking it wide open. He screamed, the air around him turning to static and pain. Purple light flashed from him for only a moment before his body curled in on itself, limbs bending like a dead spider as he spasmed, then with one last whimper, fell still

Bulan stood tall and triumphant for just a moment, as the darkness in the sky began to lift away. The sun hit her face, the warmth and the light…

Then she fell backwards into the dust. Zhang ran to where Bulan was collapsed, the darkness surrounding them lessening with every step. As he reached her, he saw her chest rising and falling, but his relief was short lived when he saw the blood trickling down her face, and the gaping, bloody wound in her own skull.

"Shaojie…" She hissed, but it was not malicious.

"Nandito ako." He knelt beside her. _"I am so, so sorry. You should not have had to do this."_

She whimpered, closing her bloody eyes as best she could. _"The little ones. Are they okay?"_

Zhang looked around at his team, each of them beginning to clamber to their feet. Gur-Rai, no doubt coming over to get his sword back, knelt down a foot or so from Bulan, his face grave. Kon-Mai was still curled on the ground, wheezing from pain, but Malinalli and Dhar-Mon were already up and attending to her.

Zhang nodded, sinking to his knees as Annette ran over to them. _"They're okay now, Bulan."_

She closed her eyes, tears mixing with the blood. She clasped her hands over the wound in her chest, and he saw her trembling.

"It's okay…" He said quietly, and Annette stepped closer to her and knelt at the girl's head, wiping the tears and blood from her face.

"Nanay…" Bulan sniffled. "Nasaan ang nanay ko?" Her eyes were flickering.

Annette took hold of one of her hands, Zhang the other, and in her last breaths, Bulan began to sing.

_"Ili-ili tulog anay,_

_Wala diri imong nanay…"_

Her voice faltered, once, and the last lyrics were said in what was barely a whisper. _"Kadto tienda bakal papay._

_Ili-ili tulog anay."_

.

.

They laid Bulan in one of the attic beds, alongside her siblings, her eyes closed peacefully as though she were asleep. The blankets pulled up around her made it seem so: she was simply sleeping, and at the end of this nightmare, she would wake up.

Maybe one day she would, Zhang thought as he closed the door for the last time. He descended the stairs, the empty mansion whispering to him as he did. He felt lighter somehow, as though being here had lifted an old weight he still suffered with.

Kon-Mai's leg was throbbing so much just thinking made her want to scream, so Dhar-Mon was charged with carrying her back to the Skyranger. He had been worried for Gur-Rai after his fall, but his brother insisted that all he had were a few scratches. "Nothing like what our poor sister went through."

"And nothing like that poor girl…" Kon-Mai retorted, her voice weak and tired. "We should create a memorial for her in the Avenger."

"Her and her siblings." Dhar-Mon sighed. "She fulfilled her duty to her family. She saved them."

"What duty, Brother?" Gur-Rai raised a brow.

"The eldest sibling must protect the younger." He said. "It is why I protect you."

"Hey now." Gur-Rai gently punched him in the arm. "Don't go imprisoning an ancient god to keep me alive, you hear me?"

"Brother." Kon-Mai insisted. "I would never wish for you to suffer that fate. We all protect each other." She smiled. "If one of us falls, would the others not be lost?"

The rest of the exhausted party followed them back down the dirt path, through the trees to the very dusty and slightly sunbleached Skyranger. Bryni kicked open the cockpit and lowered the ramp. "WHOOEE! Poor baby ain't been cleaned in days!" She laughed. "Well come on everyone! Don't dilly dally!"

"I must confess, even if it led to this, I'm happy you sent that distress signal." Zhang admitted to Annette when they entered.

"I suppose I am glad to be out of that wretched place." Annette nodded. "Thank you, for me and for Bulan."

"I am thankful we could help her." Zhang sighed. "...If we truly did."

"She and her siblings are resting now." Annette assured him. "We did what we could."

"I know." He looked up, watching the Darkstrider cleaning his blade. "And thank you, Darkstrider."

"Hm?" He looked up. "Hey, Bulan did the hard work. I just lent her the machete." He twirled it in his hand. "Funny, it doesn't seem right just calling it that."

"It doesn't have a name?" Annette raised a brow.

Zhang buckled his seatbelt. "You know. Bulan's name...it means moon." He said quietly. "A symbol of change, and of the passage of time."

.

.

Inside the house, so quiet and still, as the dust began to settle and the light finally began to fade, a door closed upstairs.

The figure of a girl moved through the house, slowly at first, then with the enthusiasm of a child, sprinting freely though the halls. Abandoning her ripped blue skirt, she had donned a pair of slacks from her own father's closet, and one of her mother's fine blouses.

She ran out into the garden, sunlight and wind and air, real fresh air, washing over her face. For only a moment she stopped, not wasting a second. She stooped and picked up that old shotgun, her Ol' Reliable.

She knew he was still out there, but now she knew she could win, and if push came to shove, well, Shaojie did owe her a favor~

In the year 2040, at the young, bright age of 97, Bulan Kepa threw open the gates, and stepped out into the world.

* * *

Summary: The party, confined to their hiding spot, begins searching through the papers on the desk for more information about Bulan and her family. Zhang, frustrated, takes a break to talk with Kon-Mai; as it turns out, Zhang is 99 years old thanks to the Elders' gifts. Later, Annette finds Bulan's diary from 1962, and it is revealed there was a Sectoid invasion around their home, made worse by her father's paranoia. It is also revealed that although Bulan attempted suicide, she is unable to die. Using Dhar-Mon's power, Bryni finds and converses with Bulan, and gets her to agree to meet with them. Upon meeting Malinalli, Bulan takes them to the room her sick siblings are resting in, and asks if Malinalli can fix them. However, the children are so far gone, Malinalli cannot treat them, and it is discovered Ya'uq has been draining them of energy to keep himself alive. Bulan refuses to fight Ya'uq, despite being the only one who can wound him, as doing so would kill her in the process. The group attempts to confront Ya'uq themselves, but he quickly overpowers them, and they are unable to wound him in the slightest. When all seems lost, Bulan realizes her family is suffering and joins the battle, at first being struck down by Ya'uq, but upon acquiring Gur-Rai's machete, she is able to land a decisive blow, killing him. Zhang runs to her, apologizing to Bulan as she dies, but she simply asks him if her siblings are safe. After assuring her they are, Bulan dies with a lullaby on her lips. The gang returns to the Skyranger, where Zhang reflects on the fact that Bulan's name symbolizes change and the passage of time.

(And so concludes the spooky saga. I think this one was hard to write because I so desperately wanted it to come out good, and just didn't believe I was able to do it. I think, however, this did come out pretty decently, and wrapping this up, tying in the lore especially, was extremely fun!

Edit: You may notice there is an afterward that wasn't there before. Yes! I was sitting on it all day and something felt very...wrong about Bulan's death at the end, especially with things being how they are. So, I've added this epilogue per se. You'll be seeing her again.)


	28. Merely an Old Scar

The chamber under the sea was always cold. It felt like home to the people who lived there. But even so, Reue missed the chaotic, rocky landscape of Thaumas. She missed the jutting trees of crystal that exploded from the gravel mountains and glowed on the horizon. She missed the splashes of color against the muted world. Here, everything was too saturated. Too unreal. She would say too happy, but none of them were happy.

**"Are you coming?"** She asked Kompira as she trailed into the forge. Her colleague was always absorbed in his work, but recently he seemed to be hiding in the forge more and more often.

At first, he did not even look up, but she could tell he saw her, and he was considering her question.

**"The three have called us."** She said. **"We cannot ignore them."**

**"I know."** He replied.

**"And yet you do not move."** She scooted towards him, a few more inches. **"I do not want to tell ****_Mordenna_**** you are disobeying her, but I will."**

Now Kompira looked up in a panic. Reue held his gaze, trying to show her hesitation, but her resignation as well.

**"…Reue."** He said, and she could feel the synapses in his mind tremble. **"I…I don't want to go."**

Reue said nothing, and soon he continued. He held up his lower right arm and she saw it was swollen and stiff.

**"Camazotz struck me, and my arm will not heal properly."** He said quietly. **"I tried to set it, and it won't…"** He broke off.

**"What did you say to him?"** She knew Camazotz was unpredictable, sometimes even more so than her _Mordenna_. "You should not have angered him."

**"I was just trying to protect him."** Kompira's thoughts were wavering with the effort of speaking. **"I am afraid if he sees me, he will break my other arms, and I'll never work my forge again."**

Reue wanted to tell him that was a silly fear, except it wasn't, and she'd seen Camazotz do it before. Thus, she said the only thing she knew would convince him otherwise…

**"If you are absent from this meeting, Vox Camazotz will kill you."** She said simply. **"I would not like you to die, Kompira."**

He sighed, looking old and utterly broken. Reue moved forward and held out one arm. **"May I see your wound?"**

**"It is an old scar now."** Nevertheless, he held out his arm for her, and Reue looked over the poorly healed bone. It seemed to have fused lopsided, creating a calcified mass right in the center, around the joint. It would require rebreaking if it ever had a hope of healing properly again.

**"Will you come?"** Reue repeated.

**"Only if I must."** Kompira met her eyes. **"Go like a dog and tell your beloved Abyzou."**

Reue reeled back. **"How dare you?"**

**"We all see how you look at her."** He said simply. **"I pity you, Reue."**

"I do not need your pity." Reue turned sharply and fled the forge, his mind reaching out after her, following her.

**"She does not love you."** Kompira insisted.

**"And Camazotz hates you. Yet here we are."**

.

.

"So what does _Prima_ mean?"

Kon-Mai flinched as Tygan pulled on the bandages around her leg. It had been a few weeks since the fracture, and it was healing well, but the skin around the bone was still raw and sore, and the bone was healing awkwardly because of the strain she kept putting on it when she walked. Thus, here she was, much to her chagrin.

Shen was there in the infirmary today, trying to fit her with a cast that would allow her to walk on her injury, but it was taking a while. Luckily, Shen's talkative nature kept the silence from being deafening.

"_Prima_ was one of my titles." Kon-Mai replied. "It means 'Assassin.'"

"So the Ethereals had assassins on their home world?" Shen asked.

Kon-Mai shook her head. "I do not know, I have never been to Thaumas, I'm not even sure if I could survive there." She laid back. "I know it comes from the word _'prih,'_ which is a verb meaning 'to kill.'"

"And the people called you _Vox Prima_." Tygan spoke up. "Fascinating."

"What about your name?" Shen asked. "Your real name, Kon-Mai? Does that have a meaning?"

Kon-Mai thought for a moment. "…Mai has to do with dancing." She finally said. "I believe Kon means…delicate? Small, but not as in size. Small, as pertaining to a term of endearment. And Mordenna is the title used by an heir to the throne. It was my mo…" She cleared her throat. "It was Abyzou's title."

"Are your brothers below you then, _my lady_?" Tygan may have meant it as a joke, but Kon-Mai bristled at the statement. For all intents and purposes, it was true. She did not like to think that the Elders favored her, especially now, but that fact was very present in their names.

"Okay, let's try this." Shen came over with a splint that had two metal springs on either side. "Hopefully if we hook you in here…" Kon-Mai let her maneuver her foot into the metal boot. "The springs should carry most of your weight on this side and take pressure off the bone itself, we just have to make sure it's tight enough so it doesn't bounce around and break your leg again."

"You do not have to do all this for me." Kon-Mai insisted, once more.

"You were the one who refused to use crutches." Shen giggled. "Or the wheelchair. Had to come up with _something_."

Kon-Mai's blue skin turned purple as she blushed with embarrassment. Thankfully, the door opening drew attention away from that.

Zhang stepped inside. Despite his performance in the field last mission, he was leaning heavily on his cane. "Lily. Tygan." He nodded. "Shrinemaiden."

"How are you doing, Zhang?" Shen asked. "Like, emotionally."

Zhang blinked. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

He didn't answer, exchanging a look with Tygan as she sat across from Kon-Mai in a folding chair. Tygan tapped Shen on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear, something displeasing if her expression was any indication.

He watched Kon-Mai warily, and she knew he was still frightened by her appearance, her closeness with the Elders. The hybrids were one thing, they were bad enough. She was literally their child.

"How is your leg?" He finally asked.

"Healing, albeit slowly." She replied. "Occasionally I do miss my sarcophagus. Injuries and death were of little concern to me."

"Well, now you actually have to take care of yourself." He said, almost cracking a smile. Almost.

Shen snapped the splint into place. "Okay. Get up for a second and tell me how that feels to walk on."

Kon-Mai stood slowly and gingerly put her weight on her injured leg, expecting it to hurt. She felt the dull sting she was used to, but as she shifted her weight onto it, the springs kept it from taking damage. She bounced a bit, then took a few steps. The limp was still prevalent but it no longer caused pain.

"I think it's a bit tall." Shen patted the table again. "Let me fix that."

"I can walk with it." Kon-Mai protested. "And that is its purpose, is it not?"

"Yeah, but I don't want you teetering on one really long leg." Shen began tightening the boot again. "Besides, this is _my_ work you're wearing. Gotta make sure it looks good~"

"Your father would have said the same." Zhang chuckled, leaning forward on his cane. "Wish he was still here."

Shen froze, her sure hands faltering. Zhang didn't seem to realize what he said, but the silence that hung in the air spoke millions.

Kon-Mai stood once again, testing her splint. Nothing had really changed in between but she made a point to smile and nod. "This shall be perfect. Thank you, Shen."

"Mhm." Shen smiled but it was clear she was trying not to cry. "Hey, um, I gotta…check on something in engineering, so…"

"I can take over." Tygan said. "Go on."

Shen quickly jogged out of the room, Kon-Mai staring after her.

.

.

Gur-Rai tapped his foot in time to the song he hummed as he flipped his screwdriver, catching it midair behind his back and jamming back into the ROV-R. If he could just tighten this one screw then the armor plating would keep the little guy protected. Shen was gonna love-

Speak of the devil, he heard the heavy boots of his friend and quickly hid his project under the bench just as she came stomping around the corner. He leaned on his hand and clicked his tongue as she entered. "Long time no see, Doc~"

She was completely silent, and that worried him. Normally she would respond to his quips with a groan or at the very least an eye roll. Today, she brushed past him like he wasn't even there, opening and closing drawers forcefully enough to shake the contents inside, grabbing random tools and throwing them onto the table.

Gur-Rai came up behind Lily curiously. "Did Bradford not let you fly the ship?" He chuckled.

Again, silence.

"Well, this thing is a bucket of rust anyway. Controls like absolute gar-"

"Gur-Rai, just…" She stopped, her head pressed firmly in her hands. "Not now, okay?

"What happened?" He insisted.

"I don't wanna talk about it." She muttered. "It's nothing."

"That's an awfully loud nothing." He noted as she slammed a drawer shut.

"I just don't wanna think about it." She said. "We need to get to work anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She said quietly, the only quiet thing she'd done since she walked in.

He nodded, conceding that he would not win this, and turned back to their unfinished projects on the workbench. These would be enough to keep him busy a while.

"What's that noise?" Shen asked, looking up from the tools she'd pulled out.

"Noise?" He listened briefly. "I don't hear anything."

"Are you serious?" Shen sighed and moved to the center of the room. "…You can't hear that?"

"My ears really aren't as good as my sister's." He said.

Shen closed her eyes, this minor distraction seeming to have taken her mind off of her previous annoyance. "…It's coming from the vent."

Now Gur-Rai pulled away from his workbench and followed her as she stood up on a crate, peering into the darkness of the ventilation shaft. "…I can't see, it's too dark."

"Here." He grabbed a nearby flashlight and handed it to her.

"Thanks…" She shone it into the dark opening. "…Is that an animal?!"

He hopped up beside her, not having to stretch nearly as far, and peered inside. "That looks like a ball of yarn."

"Do balls of yarn move?' Shen asked.

"Only if you-"

"That was rhetorical." She cut him off, and began making a whistling noise with her mouth. "Hey buddy, what are you…?"

The animal looked up, it's eyes glowing a greenish yellow. The two locked eyes with it and they all stared at each other for a moment. Then it got up and slipped into the vent, turning around a corner.

"Shit." Shen began to pry the vent off. "Bradford's gonna throw a fit if he finds out there's an animal in the vent."

"I think that leads to Dhar-Mon's room." Gur-Rai hopped down. "Lily, try to crawl in and scare that thing toward the opening. I'll get it from the other side."

"You want me to crawl in the vent?!"

"You'll fit." He assured her.

"How do you know?!"

"Because I do!" And with that he took off out of the room.

Shen grumbled as she pulled off the vent, stripped out of her vest, and climbed inside.

.

.

Dhar-Mon cursed as he pricked himself for the fifth time. It hadn't broken the skin that much (he hoped), and at least this time he wouldn't have to worry about bleeding on the piece of silk he was trying to embroider. He envied his sister, with her lithe, thin fingers that were perfect for beading and sewing.

He put the silk down. It was a deep green color, and he was currently trying to sew beads into it in the shape of a flower and it was going badly. The flower looked more like an explosion than anything that was ever alive. He hoped it would be pleasing to Malinalli, he'd chosen the closest color to her eyes that he could find.

There was a frantic knock on the door, and it swung open and Gur-Rai came sprinting in.

"Brother!" Dhar-Mon exclaimed in utter surprise. "What are you-?!"

"Shut up, no time." Gur-Rai went straight for the vent, practically ripping off the wall and climbing up to peer inside. "There you are, ya little fuck." He grumbled. "Shen!"

There was a banging noise from inside the vent, then a cacophony of shrieking and clawing noises. Gur-Rai jumped into the vent, his legs hanging out and kicking frantically as he tried to wrangle whatever strange creature was infesting the ship.

Dhar-Mon jumped up and ran over, dodging back and forth to try and see what was happening. Unfortunately his scrawny brother was blocking the way.

There was a loud thud. "I GOT IT!" Gur-Rai cried. "Dhar-Mon, pull me out!"

"What?!"

"PULL ME OUT!" His legs were kicking wildly and Dhar-Mon heard something making a growling noise. Thinking on instinct, he grabbed his brother by the waist and heaved, flinging him backwards onto the floor and almost causing Gur-Rai to drop the furry package he was holding. Thankfully he turned over onto his stomach and managed to wrangle the creature before it could wiggle out of his grasp.

Dhar-Mon stood, dumbfounded at the scene before him. "Brother what the _fuck_?" He let slip, too shocked to catch himself.

"Language." Gur-Rai chuckled as he got to his feet, holding out the furry creature, that seemed to have calmed down. It was a huge, mouse-like being that was the size of Gur-Rai's hand. "What the hell are you?" He said to the creature as it stared at him in a mild sort of confusion.

They heard thumping down the hall, and Shen came running in. "Did you get it?"

"Yeah!" Gur-Rai held it out. "What is it?"

"Oh my god." Shen looked confused, horrified and enamored all at once. "That's a possum!"

"A…pardon?" Dhar-Mon shook his head.

"A possum!" She held out her arms and rushed to Gur-Rai, and the possum cuddled back into the Chosen's body. "It's a marsupial, they're like koalas and such. Oh my god I can't believe one is alive!" She reached out, using one finger to scratch it's head. "Hey little guy."

The possum seemed to relax at Shen's touch, and even sniffed her finger a bit.

"I love him!" Shen cooed. "Oh my lord, he's perfect!"

"He's so fluffy." Gur-Rai also took to scratching the possum on his cheek. "Look at that little nose go~"

"Please do not get attached." Dhar-Mon muttered. "The Commander will never let you keep an animal on this ship."

"She let us keep you." Gur-Rai stuck out his tongue.

_"Ux naví par touxeiz."_ Dhar-Mon slapped Gur-Rai on the back on the head. "The dog of the Elders I believe they called you."

Gur-Rai fell silent, and even Shen could feel the sting of that comment. Quickly, the tugged on Gur-Rai's sleeve. "Hey, does this little guy look odd to you?"

"Odd?" Gur-Rai at least partially snapped out of his funk at that. "Well, Lily, I've never seen a possum before."

"No like…" She felt along it's sides. "Come on, let's take him to Tygan. I think he might be hurt."

.

.

Walking on this contraption felt odd, but at least it no longer hurt.

Kon-Mai maintained her slow pace through the ship's hall, staring out the large windows into the orange clouds and blue sky. She wondered if this ship had come with windows. She knew her old masters held the stars in high regard, would they have wanted to see them as they flew?

She sopped briefly, staring out one window for a while, trying to imagine the wind on her face. It was one of the things she missed about her stronghold; the open rooftops, the balconies, the utterly quiet places where she could just sit and let her thoughts absorb her.

"Excuse me."

There was not a moment of quiet on this ship, was there? Kon-Mai opened her eyes and addressed Annette Durand, now dressed in clean civilian wear. While most of her injuries were fully healed, she still looked incredibly tired.

Kon-Mai bowed. "Taymallat. It is good to see you well."

Annette Durand stepped up beside her, glancing out the same window. "Do you like it here?"

Funny, she had just been thinking about that. Kon-Mai actually had to think for a moment. Yes, she missed her stronghold's quiet. But here, she had her brothers close enough to go to should she ever need comfort, and vice versa. Here, though the soldiers still kept their distance for her, she had the potential to make friends. She had opportunity to grow.

"I do." She finally nodded. "The Commander literally gave me a second chance at life. I can never repay that dept."

Annette didn't say anything to that, just stared out into the setting sun. The moon was rising in the distance, a faint white outline against a hazy sky.

Then she looked over. "I have killed many like you."

Kon-Mai's heart began to race. Did she have her dagger? Did Annette have a gun? Had she come to finally end what she saw as the alien invader on her ship?

Annette glanced back out the window. "All the aliens start looking the same after a while." She sighed. "I lost my mind out there, could not tell Viper from Chryssalid. I…" She tucked some hair behind her ear. Despite the fading grey, she looked incredibly young. Kon-Mai briefly wondered if psionics had a role in that.

After a long silence, Annette continued, her voice quiet and low. "I was never a good soldier." She whispered. "I was 19 years old when XCOM helped me. I was a civilian captured by the Elders, probed and prodded and tortured." She looked up at Kon-Mai. "I do not know what they wanted with me but for all I know…_you_ could have been _me_."

"…And how does that make you feel?" Kon-Mai felt her own voice was nearly silent. Speaking hurt.

"Terrible." Annette did not hesitate. "Is it true you were once human like us? Is it true what those salauds did to you?"

Kon-Mai crossed her arms, almost hugging herself. She wanted to say no, not her. She was a clone. Her brothers had suffered infinitely more than she had. She was a tank child. A doll. A jewel on the crown of the Elders, made to be worshiped but never held.

But something in her made her say "Yes." She nodded. "Yes. My brothers and…we were all once human." She expected to feel awful. Instead, she felt liberated.

Annette closed her eyes and took a breath. "Then I am so sorry I failed you." She whimpered. "I should have saved you from this."

"You were fighting day and night." Kon-Mai assured her. "And please, Taymallat, I do not need saving." She cracked a smile, showing her sharp, almost yellow teeth and hoping that the sight was a comfort. "I am the edge of your sword, the glint of light of the moon, and I shall blind the Elders, so you may strike."

Annette actually smiled in return. "…I like that. You speak with such beauty." She looked up, perhaps about to say something, but they just kept their eyes locked for a moment.

Kon-Mai bowed to her. "Should you ever need me, Taymallat, call my name and I shall answer."

"And likewise, Shrinemaiden." Annette bowed to her as well, and the two exchanged another smile.

.

.

The med bay doors swung open, and in ran Shen and Gur-Rai, Dhar-Mon following a ways behind. It's inhabitants looked up, Tygan and Zhang raising confused brows and Bradford's face twisting into a look of dread. "Shen…"

"Doctor, we found this in the Avenger's vents!" Shen exclaimed, the incident having put her previous troubles out of her mind, at least for now. "It's a possum!"

"I see that." Tygan approached Gur-Rai and took the fuzzy animal gently from his grasp. "Hm. Surprisingly calm…"

"He's so cute!" Shen squealed. "I love possums."

"Konnie is gonna flip when she sees that thing." Gur-Rai chuckled.

"Kon-Mai?" Bradford sighed. "The COMMANDER is gonna flip when she sees that."

"Now, now. She tends to like strange, lost creatures." Tygan plunked the animal on the table and gently let it go. Instead of running, the possum stayed still, sniffing it's surroundings curiously. "Hm. It does not seem to fear humans."

"Maybe it was someone's pet." Zhang suggested. "Perhaps someone from a resistance camp that…sadly can't care for it anymore."

Shen glanced over at him, and her face fell again as she remembered the conversation earlier. Thankfully at that point, Dhar-Mon spoke up. "Perhaps it would make sense to keep it on board to care for it."

"No." Bradford crossed his arms.

"Oh come on." Gur-Rai whined.

"I'm serious, Darkstrider, we are not keeping a _fucking possum_ on the Avenger." He glanced over to it. "That thing is going back outside."

"I would hesitate on that, Central." Tygan lifted one of the possum's legs. "It…he seems to have a few injuries that need to be treated. I do not like how it's breathing."

"Seriously, Doctor?" Bradford shook his head. "Not gonna back me up here?"

"This animal may very well be the last of its kind." Tygan said. "I would find it shameful to send it to it's doom."

.

.

"Come here!" Shen snapped her fingers and made a clicking sound, trying to attract the possum's attention. "Come here, boy! You still need a name."

"Possy Bear~" Gur-Rai suggested, the possum sitting contently in his lap as he stroked it, like he was petting a cat.

"Unimaginative." Dhar-Mon rolled his eyes.

"Well, what about you two? I don't see you pitching suggestions." Gur-Rai picked up the possum and put him in the ground, where he sniffed the floor and began to teeter over to Shen.

"What about Pangu?" Shen said softly. "In Chinese myth, Pangu was the first living being in the universe. It was a fuzzy creature that was born from the primordial chaos aligning itself for just a moment…"

"It's weird." Gur-Rai smiled. "I love it."

"It's an appropriate name for something like this…" Dhar-Mon reached out and touched Pangu on his back, and the possum turned toward him.

"Shen." Gur-Rai piped up. "You feeling better?"

"Hm?" She sighed. "I guess."

"Better?" Dhar-Mon looked confused. Gur-Rai was about to tell him to leave it be, but Shen finally spoke.

"…I think people still wish it was my dad here, not me." She let Pangu crawl into her lap. "Zhang said something like that today…"

"Well then, Zhang is an idiot." Gur-Rai replied.

"I don't want to say that." She scratched Pangu behind the ears. "I used to look up to him. I think he still sees me as a child, and it's frustrating."

"Are you certain he was not simply reminiscing?" Dhar-Mon suggested. "He knew Raymond Shen quite well."

"Maybe." She ran her hand along Pangu's coat. "It still hurt. Like, is my work not good enough? I pour _everything_ into my projects."

"I know you do." Gur-Rai stood and scooted closer to her, squatting beside her. "And you're an amazing engineer, Lily. Your father would say so."

"It is always the struggle of the child to match the success of their Elders." Dhar-Mon added. "And I do believe you surpassed your father."

"Well, that struggle is different for some of us." Gur-Rai avoided looking at his brother.

"Gur-Rai." Dhar-Mon, too, drew close to the two. "I am sorry for my comment earlier. It was out of line."

Gur-Rai said nothing at first, but he did make eye contact.

"I know how Camazotz saw you." Dhar-Mon admitted quietly. "And to have perpetuated that is a crime I cannot repay."

"Oh shut up, you lugnut." Gur-Rai finally cracked a smile, scooted over and flopped into Dhar-Mon for a hug. "You're my big brother. All is forgiven."

Shen smiled warmly, scratching behind Pangu's ears as the possum yawned in contentment.

.

.

Kompira did follow Reue into the Great Hall, and with the speed of molasses, the rest of their company emerged. Xezbeth looked particularly bad today, their body rattling as they moved. Their joints were beginning to come loose. Tiyanak was by their side, arms around them as they moved, slowly, towards the center where the others stood.

On Xezbeth's bare legs, Reue could see the distinct blue marks that Bhandasura left behind. For a moment she felt a pang of sorrow in her chest. Then, she shook it off. Xezbeth had a mind that did not know when to stop running. They should have shut up when told.

One by one, the three emerged. Bhandasura was leading them, but he looked beaten down, and under his robe, Reue caught the sight of a purpling bruise on his arm. Abyzou and Camazotz were close behind. Abyzou looked between her husbands, and Bhandasura nodded and spoke.

**"Our Chosen are alive."** Was all he said.

Silence. They all knew what was coming next. The worst news. Reue was shaking.

**"They have betrayed us for XCOM."**

Abyzou shoved him aside. **"We must find our ungrateful children."** She hissed. **"Remind them that they are NOTHING without us! Nothing!"**

Silence again, and Camazotz scoffed. **"They've made it clear that they want to fraternize with traitors and leeches, why should we offer them any chance at redemption?"**

**"Because they are our children."** Bhandasura said, his thoughts dripping with resignation.

_**"Children."**_ Camazotz shook his head. **"I have never seen any child hold their elders in such low regard. I say, good riddance. They were nothing but a burden on us from the start."**

**"Cama!" **Abyzou cried. **"How could you?! Your son-"**

**"'Son' is a generous term. He was more of an ill-tempered hound."** Camazotz clasped his hands as though he were perfectly calm. **"He had no self control whatsoever, in fact I think the Chryssalids were better trained than him."**

**"Perhaps he was the most flawed."** Bhandasura conceded.

**"But the others."** Abyzou sobbed. **"My precious jewel, my little ****_Vox Prima_****-"**

**"Is not as innocent as you like to paint her."** Camazotz cut in. **"Who knows what she will do with her newfound freedom, Abyzou? Who knows who she might meet? What she might do with that weapon of hers~"**

**"And that is why I must find her!"** Abyzou snapped. **"She is not capable of her own thought! She cannot be trusted! I am her guide, her light in the darkness, and she is the prism through with that light shines!"**

**"She will not come willingly."** Bhandasura said. **"She was seen working in tandem with XCOM in the field. If all three are alongside each other, then the bond they have established will overwhelm all reason."**

**"Dhar-Mon might be dead."** Camazotz offered.

**"Part of me hopes so."** Bhandasura sighed. **"I do not see how I could ever forgive him."**

**"Listen to yourselves!"** Abyzou snapped. **"These are our PROGENY! We created them! We birthed them, we gave them our own blood!"**

**"I never wanted them."** Camazotz shook his head. **"I told you we should have just used the robot Shen left behind."**

**"The insane one?"** Bhandasura crosses two of his arms.

**"Yes. He is at least fun."** Camazotz chuckled. Then he sighed. **"…I will compromise. ****_Prima_**** was always the best of them. The quickest, the smartest, and I had thought the most loyal. If any of them are worth saving, it would be she."**

Abyzou paused. **"…Do you mean it so?"**

**"I do."** Camazotz took her emaciated hand in his. **"I cannot forgive my failure of a spawn, nor can I see us reinstating Nergal, if he is even alive. But to have little Prima back might give us back our edge."**

**"I agree."** Bhandasura put his hand on Abyzou's shoulder. **"Our daughter was our magnum opus. I believe she is worth capturing."**

**"I…" **Abyzou nodded, wrapping her arms around Camazotz and burying her face in his neck. **"Thank you, ****_dhay_****. Thank you. I love you like a black hole loves the light."**

**"I know."** Camazotz chuckled, rocking her side to side. He met Bhandasura's eyes and the two shared a warm look.

Bhandasura turned to the rest of the collective. **"Vox Nergal and Vox Zagre are to be killed on sight. Vox Prima shall be captured and returned to us alive." **He said. **"Imdugud, I want all Sectoid patrolls doubled in areas where XCOM was sighted. If she is with them, then where XCOM goes, so will she."**

**"What should I do upon confirming her position?"** Imdugud said with a bow.

**"If you have the chance to catch her unaware, take it."** Bhandasura said. **"But know that she will not go without a fight."**

**"On pain of death, I will bring her back to you."** He bowed.

Bhandasura turned to the others. **"Reue."** He said, and the woman straightened her back. **"Monitor all radio channels we know of, what they are saying about the Chosen, specifically Vox Prima. They may refer to her by her birth name. News like this would likely not go unannounced by XCOM. They will flaunt this accomplishment, and it will lead us right to them."**

Reue bowed. **"Nothing shall pass their lips without it reaching me."**

**"Good."** Bhandasura now looked to Kompira. **"Our daughter uses blades of our design. We need weapons good enough to counter that."**

**"Her sword is made of Thaumic Crystal."** He protested. **"It is forged with blood and bone. It is more art than a sword. Surely nothing can surpass it."**

**"You shall make a weapon that does."** Bhandasura lifted his hand. **"Or need I remind you who you obey, lowly ****_Dessurik_****? Who is your lord?"**

**"…It is you, Vox Bhandasura, and your two dearest loves."** Kompira bowed. **"I apologize. I will make your weapon…."** Reue could feel the anguish in his thoughts.

**"Very good. Xezbeth and Tiyanak, all of our gifted prisoners shall be expedited through training. Form an elite unit; we will need our best."**

**"Understood."** Tiyanak bowed, and Xezbeth nodded meekly.

**"Our daughter will be found."** Abyzou muttered into Camazotz's shoulder. **"We must find her before she is ruined forever."**

* * *

(Bit of a shorter one today, but I needed a more relaxed chapter after the madness that came before. And this one was quite relaxing to write, I think my mental health really benefited from it!)


	29. A Day at the Beachside Ruins

"Get that oversized rat away from me!"

"Konnie, come on! He's been here two weeks! He's practically family!"

"No! It is a _wild animal_, with claws and teeth and it eats garbage!"

"So are we, Sister! You can't hide from it forever!"

Bradford sighed, sipping his coffee loudly as the clunking of angry combat boots filled the ship. He wished for the love of any god out there, that Kon-Mai would just pet the damn possum so Gur-Rai would shut the hell up. Unfortunately Kon-Mai's fear of koalas seemed to spread to other marsupials as well, and she all but demanded that the thing be put outside. To be honest, Bradford couldn't really blame her. Having a live animal (and a wild animal at that) was probably a bad idea, but of course Senuna had seen the damn thing and immediately fallen in love with it, so now there was no chance of it going anywhere.

And thus, poor Bradford walked over to the sink, dumped his coffee and crossed his arms. "Children, I can barely hear myself think over that noise you're making."

"Tell him to leave me be, then!" Kon-Mai jabbed her thumb at her brother as he followed her into the common area. She was still favoring her previously broken leg, but Tygan had at least given the okay for the metal splint to come off for short periods.

"Tell her to just pet the damn possum!" Gur-Rai held up Pangu, who was hanging from his grip like a floppy rug.

"Leave your sister alone, Darkstrider." Bradford said. "Don't you have a robot to build and supplies to destroy?"

"Soft animals are relaxing, Bradford." He held Pangu close to Bradford's face. "Come on~"

Bradford shook his head. "Put him back in his pen."

"Aw come on."

"That's an order, Darkstrider. That or I'll have Tygan put him in the maze again."

Gur-Rai gasped dramatically and hugged his possum close. "You monster." He couldn't help but chuckle. "Fine. Konnie, don't go anywhere, I'll be back."

As soon as he left, Kon-Mai turned to Bradford. "He is gone, let's pack up and abandon ship."

Bradford chuckled. "Come on, he's your brother."

"Yes." She raised a brow and chuckled. "It's what you were thinking, Central."

"Got me there." He stood up. "Need anything? Besides to get away from your siblings?"

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Itching for a mission already?" He set his dirty cup on the console. "The Commander is stopping by Carthage. Geist wants to renegotiate the terms of our alliance. Again."

Kon-Mai raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean renegotiate?"

Bradford ran a hand over his wrinkled face. "Geist and the Commander don't like each other all that much. Nonetheless, both of them realize they need each other to achieve their goal of killing the Elders. Unfortunately, that also means that they keep trying to stab each other under the table."

Kon-Mai seemed to bristle at that. "The Commander goes behind the back of her own allies?"

"Not if she can help it. But Geist is crafty, and it's a tough job keeping all the Templars in line." He admitted. "As it stands, he's upset because we've been diverting extra training to our own Psi Soldiers, like Princess, rather than his Templar warriors. We have limited space for both so the Commander needs to hash out a deal with him, one that ends in this alliance staying together."

Kon-Mai avoided Bradford's gaze and crossed her arms. "I don't see why this needs doing. Should one side not just capitulate for the sake of the war?"

"Which side?" Bradford asked. "That's the problem, Shrinemaiden. We can't favor the Templars at the expense of our own soldiers, especially when the Reapers and Skirmishers already don't like them. Doing that would put more out of balance than would be worth it."

"Perhaps I am not suited for politics." Kon-Mai admitted.

"You're one of our best assets on the battlefield." Bradford assured her. "Don't worry about the Templars. You three keep doing your jobs, and we still have an amazing edge on the Elders."

Kon-Mai nodded and smiled. "I am thankful, Central."

"Oh I am too. Believe me."

.

.

_"You are tense this morning."_ Dhar-Mon's voice cut into the depths of Malinalli's mind. It was futile to ignore when they were bonded like this.

She opened her eyes briefly, then closed them again as the bright fluorescent light of his bedroom stung her cornea. "Just thinking about the other soldiers." She said softly.

_"What about them?"_ And with that, she felt him tense up as well. It made her giggle.

"Getting jealous?" She cooed. "A lot of them have been suffering from psychological ailments, stuff I'm not qualified to treat."

The anxiety faded from Dhar-Mon's mind, replaced with a curious twinge of blue.

"We've been having a lot more deaths, too." She added. "I think it's starting to wear on people but I don't know how to help."

_"You are a kind and genuine person."_ He assured her. "You do not simply wish to better your own life but the lives of others. That is something I have rarely seen."

"Thank you." She sighed. "But how do I help them?"

Her connection to Dhar-Mon faded as he let go of her hands, and she opened her eyes. She was once again aware of her surroundings, like the softness of the bed they sat on, and how very warm it was.

He was silent for a moment. "To say I know how to help these poor souls would be to lie." He admitted. "But there is a way. Perhaps it is for you to find. Perhaps not. In either case, I have full faith in you."

She nodded. "Thank you, _Master_~"

He blushed, and she giggled, declaring that a victory.

The ship shuttered just a bit, and they felt the gentle thunk as they touched down on land. Malinalli stood up and stretched. "We're here!"

"And where is here?" Dhar-Mon asked her.

"Dunno." She held out her hand. "Wanna come see?"

.

.

The sun was high in the sky, covering everything in a blanket of warmth. The sky was such a bright blue, and the way it reflected in the ocean blurred the horizon line and made it seem as though everything was merged together. Truly, as Dhar-Mon looked out over the ocean, the smell of the salty air took him back to his stronghold, and he breathed in deeply, the tranquility consuming him.

For a moment.

Something slapped him in the back of the head, and as he bristled and turned around, he saw Gur-Rai laughing with Shen as the two of them raced down the platform of the Avenger and onto the sand.

Kon-Mai and Verge were not far behind, emerging slowly from the Avenger dock, both decidedly curious at the sight before them. Kon-Mai seemed to twist her leg a bit inside the splint, and it held.

Dhar-Mon opted to turn back to his brother. "What have you done to me?"

"I just flicked you. You weren't paying attention." Gur-Rai raced up the dock again and took Dhar-Mon's hand. "Come on, come on, I wanna go swimming!"

"Swimming? We are here on a mission!"

"Bradford gave us the okay as long as we keep our radios on!" Shen called out. "Do you know how to swim, Hieromonk?"

Dhar-Mon scoffed. "Dr. Shen, I am surprised at you. My stronghold was in the center of Italy, and I patrolled the coastal towns on the regular! Of course I know how to swim!" He raised a brow. "Do you?"

"Yeah." She came up behind Gur-Rai. "And how to surf~"

"Oh, we should do that!" Gur-Rai looked to the two behind his brother. "How bout it you two?"

Kon-Mai sighed. "We are working, Gur-Rai, this is not a vacation."

"Sure it is." He smiled. "I bet you just know I can outswim you, Little Sister."

"Oh?" She raised a brow and smirked. "You are quite mistaken, Brother."

"Prove it."

"I do not have swimwear." She protested. "And if you think I am going to strip to my undergarments, you are sorely mistaken."

On cue, footsteps came up behind them, and as Kon-Mai turned, Senuna stood there, beaming. She was flanked by Malinalli, Bradford, and Jane, the latter of whom was carrying a stack of clothing in her hands.

"Commander." Kon-Mai and Dhar-Mon both bowed respectfully, and Verge saluted her. But she seemed to ignore them all.

"The ocean is so beautiful today…" Senuna sighed, her green eyes as wistful as the air. "Reminds me...well." The Commander looked forward, finally facing her soldiers. "I have gifts for all of you!" She gestured Jane forward, and it was then they saw the officer was holding a few articles of clothing.

"What is this?" Kon-Mai asked. Jane went to her first, pointedly holding up what almost looked like a dress, though it was short enough to be a shirt. With it was a pair of small trunks, both dyed a dark pink, nearly purple color.

"We had your measurements from making your armor." Jane said. "I...hope you don't mind, I took some liberties. Seemed like something you would like…" If she was blushing, Kon-Mai couldn't tell in the sunlight.

"If it fits me, then it is a masterpiece." Kon-Mai smiled at her. Jane avoided her gaze and kept distributing the articles of clothing.

"Are you guys gonna join us?" Shen asked.

Bradford shook his head. "Unfortunately we have to meet with Geist." He sighed. "God I wish I could join you guys. Been too long since I've been to the beach."

"You kids have fun for me!" Senuna winked. "There are some wood panels in the garage that would make excellent surfboards~"

.

.

Senuna had to admit, as much as she hated Geist, she loved Carthage and really admired what he had done with the place. The ancient metropolis had found new life with the Templars, who made their way lazily along stone streets, practicing fighting techniques in open arenas, trading goods and services among themselves in front of the stores they had set up. While some of the ancient walls still lay in ruin, they had repaired what they could and replaced even more, and Senuna could feel some of that mysterious, ancient energy returning to the site.

"Commander." A familiar voice said. "Geist is this way."

She and her officers turned to glance at the dark-skinned woman behind them, her blue uniform all too familiar.

"Iabet. Good to see you! How's the wife?" Senuna cried.

Iabet seemed surprised before she smiled warmly. "Tornike is well. And little Siv too, they have recovered from their injuries. Siv is looking at a promotion soon..."

"Oh that's wonderful!" She clapped.

"Commander, I understand you and Geist do not get along. But he is waiting." Iabet chuckled.

"Yes, I know. But I've waited a thousand years before and it did me so much good!" Senuna laughed as though everyone else was in on the joke, when in reality Bradford was facepalming and Iabet stood there in confusion.

"...I do have one question." Iabet admitted. "The Warlock…"

"What about him?" Senuna asked. "He goes by the Hieromonk now, by the way, and I think it fits him so well! I couldn't be more proud of the little-"

"He's alive?" Iabet gasped. "...I'm sorry, last I saw him he was bleeding out, when they took him away."

"He's alive." Jane cut in. "He made a full recovery too. Can fight again and everything."

Iabet's face relaxed significantly. "I'm glad...none of us knew what happened. Geist never told us."

"Of course he didn't." Senuna growled. "Come on then. It's time I spoke to him."

.

.

It had been so long since Kon-Mai had been in the water. Well, water that wasn't from a shower or bath. She had been trained to swim by her priests in her first year, but even that was almost a decade ago. Since those lessons, she'd been confined to the shore for her work, focusing most her efforts around inland China, being ferried by helicarrier when she had to cross the open sea.

Kon-Mai took a breath, remembering the old words Bhandasura used to speak to her. You must be calm, like water. Water does not hurt, it waits, trickles patiently. And that is who you are, how you love. But this? This was different. The ocean was so raw and unhinged, so gentle and forthcoming. It did not hold back; it did not need to. The waves crashed against the shore with a fury so foreign yet so familiar to her, and yet the way the lazy foam hugged the sand was warm and comforting.

She took a step forward into the wet sand. Her long hair was out of it's unusual braids and hung loose down her back, baby hairs flying wayward in the sea breeze. The water ashed up around her feet and she gasped at the cold. She had removed her splint to keep it from being damaged, and saw yet another badge of honor graced her leg: an angry white mark where her bone cut her skin.

"Heads up, Konnie!" Gur-Rai called from where he was as he smacked the water. Even from his position deep in the water, waves up to his chest, he still managed to splash her all the way on shore. "Come on! Quit stalling and get in!"

"Brother!" She growled. "Stop that!"

Gur-Rai smirked and smacked an oncoming wave again, this time showering his sister with droplets of foam.

She hissed. "You will suffer for that!"

"Make me~" He stuck his tongue out.

"Dude, she's gonna do it!" Shen cried, backing up away from the ballistic missile she knew was coming.

"You are right." Kon-Mai took several steps back, took a breath and dashed forward, launching herself into the waves. For a moment, the sand blinded her, but then the water cleared and she could see where Gur-Rai (or at least his feet) were.

With the grace of a dolphin, she swam along the shallow bottom, keeping low until she was directly behind him, at which point she curled up, tightening her body like a coil, and sprung.

Gur-Rai let out a yelp as his sister grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him down into the water with her. Shen burst out laughing at the sight, while Gur-Rai struggled to get back to his feet.

"Kon-Mai! Stop! Lemme go! I can't swim, you bitch!"

"That is a lie!" Kon-Mai popped up once again. "You are Chosen! We can all swim!"

"Can you?" Malinalli asked as she came up beside Shen. Her hair had fallen from it's bun, and the water had plastered her curls nearly flat, making her hair resemble dark locks of seaweed..

"Of course." Warlock was wading over through the waves, although he was so tall that they barely came up to his knees. "We have trained for years in many survival skills. Swimming is important in a world that is mostly covered in water."

"At least the Elders made sure you all could do that." Malinalli looked over to Verge, who was sitting cross legged on the sand. "Come on Verge! The water is warm!"

He hesitated. "I am fine, Molly! Don't worry about me!"

"Unfortunately, Sectoids did not get the same treatment we Chosen did." Dhar-Mon sighed. "Verge, if you wish, I will teach you to at least survive in the water."

"I am fine here…" Verge seemed to hesitate as he said that, and it prompted Warlock to sigh.

"Are you sure?" Gur-Rai called out when he finally broke free from Kon-Mai's grasp. "Come on Verge! You can stay in the shallows for now!"

Verge looked hesitant.

Kon-Mai emerged from the depths, wringing out her long, white hair. "Verge, come join us, please." She flashed him a smile similar to her brother's when he wanted to be charming. "I promise you, you shall not drown when I am here."

While Verge did not seem to be swayed by her, he did look longingly out at the waves, and slowly stood. His swimsuit looked like it had come straight from the 60's, and was more like a full body wetsuit if not for the fact that it stopped at his elbows and knees. He took a few steps into the water.

"Malinalli, you have lied to me." He said. "This water is frigid."

She laughed and, like a mermaid, dove back into the water.

.

.

"Commander."

"Geist."

The two examined each other in the low light. Seated on opposite sides of the table, a chessboard sat between them, Senuna in white and Geist in black. His robes matched his pieces perfectly, in stark contrast with the Commander.

"We should switch." She said. "Black isn't your color."

"I know." He said. "I am in mourning."

"For who?" Senuna leaned forward and plucked her queen piece from the board.

"Three more of my Templars have fallen." He spat. "One on a mission you sent him on."

"I'm sorry." Senuna sighed. "I remember Hassan. They were facing off against a Berserker. He died defending his friends."

"He is still dead." Geist stared her down. "Senuna. You have been reckless with the agents I give you."

"Your agents are some of the best." She said. "I would never give them a challenge they couldn't handle."

"But you did, and now Hassan Apoorva is dead."

Senuna looked up, her eyes surprisingly blank and dead. "We are fighting a war, Geist. Remember?"

He glared at her, his eyes glowing purple in the dim light of the room. Any light that leaked inside had to cut through thick curtains and stone walls. Still, a bit of yellow sunshine tickled the edge of the room.

Senuna met Geist's gaze and did not flinch. He was powerful, but she was even moreso. He was still a baby in terms of his power. He would be no danger to her, even if he tried.

But she took a breath even so, calming herself. "Geist, it makes me sad to see your soldiers die, as sad as it makes me to lose my own." She tried to assure him. "I never sent Hassan in with the thought that he would die. But deaths do happen. I have lost at least 50 good people in the last six months."

"To be honest, Senuna." Geist crossed his arms. "I feel like you don't take this seriously." He leaned forward. "You need us. It's why you're here."

"That is true. I do need you." She stood slowly, her cape flourishing around her in a way so elegant, it would make any Templar jealous. "But let's not forget, Geist, how much work you all put into getting me out. Whatever was the point of that, hm?" She smiled, her teeth glowing white as she circled around the table.

Geist began to lean away, but Senuna's hand shot out and grabbed him by the arm, her long nails digging into his sleeve. "No, no, no. Don't go running off."

"Let go." He tried to rip his arm away, but her grip was like steel, and when he looked up, her eyes glowed like blue coals in the hottest fire. Her expression, though blank, held the faintest smile.

"You have no idea what I've seen, Geist." She hissed. "What I can do."

"You're no more powerful than I." His own eyes burned with purple light, and the room was growing hot.

"I wouldn't place your bets on that." She giggled. "I don't want a fight, Geist."

"Why not? Afraid to lose?"

"No. I'd just hate to accidentally kill you." She let go of him. "I am not your enemy."

"You are making a terrible case for yourself." He muttered, rubbing his arm.

She sat across from him again. "...This world is my home too." She said softly. "Just like it is yours."

"Then act like it." He said. "I want my soldiers to be given better equipment. Better training. I don't want to lose anyone else."

"I don't have anything better than what you already have." Senuna sighed. "You want me to keep your soldiers from death and that's not something I can do."

Geist glared at the chessboard, and Senuna reached out.

"I can't give your soldiers priority." She said. "But if, hypothetically, they wanted to join in the Reapers and Skirmishers training, that is a possibility."

Geist thought for a moment. "More training with guns? ...That is something we need."

"I have some basic ammunition in the stores as well. I can set up the Carthage militia with some extra equipment."

Geist nodded. "That's not what I had hoped for. But it will do." He picked up his own queen and tossed it aside. "I suppose you've beaten me at this game."

"I don't even know how to play chess." Senuna grinned.

.

.

Verge let his head dip below the water, only long enough that the salty wave crashed over his head. The force would have been enough to send his scrawny body flying, had Dhar-Mon not been holding his arms.

"Calm yourself, I have you." His strong voice reverberated through the water and made Verge feel safe once again. "Kick your legs, Verge."

Verge tried to say something, but as he opened his mouth he just breathed in a bunch of water accidentally. Jumping up and hacking, he stood there in chest deep water as Dhar-Mon patted his back.

"I'm sorry..." Verge gagged out between hacking coughs.

"Do not worry." The Chosen chuckled. "It was a mistake." He looked out into the waves. "It appears the tide is coming in. The waves are growing."

"Perfect surfin' weather!" Gur-Rai called. He and Shen had managed to sand down some of the boards into functioning surfboards. While they weren't completely aerodynamic, they could support their weight in the water. Shen was straddling one while Gur-Rai stood beside another, waving to Dhar-Mon and Verge.

"You wanna join us?" Shen called.

"I shall observe for now." Dhar-Mon answered. "Come, Verge, let us find a calmer spot."

"Where is Kon-Mai?" She and Malinalli had gone walking along the beach somewhere, and they hadn't seen them for a while. As the waves picked up, he heard Gur-Rai let out a holler.

"I am wondering the same thing." Dhar-Mon looked vaguely worried. 'And Malinalli, I had thought they would have reappeared by now…"

"I can always practice swimming later." Verge insisted. "Let's go-"

"Dhar-Mon!" Malinalli's voice echoed across the channel.

"Malinalli?" He called out, his booming voice overpowering the sound of the waves. Verge could not see them, but he could hear.

"Dhar-Mon! Get the others!"

"Molly?!" He cried. "She must be hurt." He waved to his brother and Shen. "COME! WE ARE NEEDED!"

Verge saw Gur-Rai jump off his board into an oncoming wave and begin paddling over to them, followed closely by Shen. As he looked, he realized that Malinalli's voice was coming from a sea cave that was a good way into the ocean, along the jutting cliff face. He'd have to swim to get there.

Dhar-Mon had no trouble with that prospect. He dove into the water with the speed and grace of a dolphin, as though he was born in the water. Verge saw him come up for air, and then stared at the Hieromonk as he began to swim, the toned muscles on his back rippling as he did. The water and sunlight made his blue skin glisten…

He looked up as Gur-Rai emerged from under the water too, and Shen followed, dragging her board. "Here." Gur-Rai pulled it over to him. "Get on this, I'll pull you over."

"I'll just stay here." Verge insisted.

"I'm not leaving you alone out here." Gur-Rai gave him a smile that was almost comforting. "It's okay. Come with me."

Verge sighed, and Lily held the board steady as he hopped up. It wobbled a bit in the waves, but Gur-Rai was holding it, and Verge knew he would not fall.

They waded out into deeper water, and soon Gur-Rai began a frog stroke, keeping hea head above the water and one hand on the board Verge sat on. Lily swam beside them, doing more of a floppy doggy paddle.

Verge opted to watch Gur-Rai. Every so often he would duck under the water, then come back up, the blue of his skin mixing with the blue of the ocean. He looked and moved like he belonged in the water, his lithe body cutting through the waves like a fish would. Verge could see Gur-Rai's own muscles as he swam and, while they were nowhere near as impressive as Dhar-Mon's, his skinny frame paired with the sharp tendons made him look incredibly powerful.

Gur-Rai came up and called out "Dhar-Mon! What's the-" He broke off with a slew of curse words, practically jumping out of the water and almost knocking Verge off the board. "FUCKFUCKFUCK SOMETHING TOUCHED MY LEG!"

There was a bubbling sound, then a splash, and Verge heard laughing as Kon-Mai came up, struggling to tread water when she was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe.

"You bitch!" Gur-Rai slapped the water, splashing her in the face. "I thought you and Molly were dying!"

"Nope!" Verge turned at the sound of Malinalli's voice and found that she was now piggy-backing on Dhar-Mon, who was miraculously staying afloat under their combined weight. "We just found a cool cave and wanted to show you."

"I apologize, Brother." Dhar-Mon chuckled. "Scaring you was my suggestion."

"The whole world is against me." Gur-Rai put a hand to his head and pretended to faint into the water.

"I am not against you." Verge assured him. "In fact while I cannot swim, I can climb. Somewhat."

Gur-Rai grinned. "Race you guys up that cliff!" He took hold of Verge and began to paddle.

"Gur-Rai, you are going to get hurt!" Kon-Mai shook her head. "Is there any real point in stopping him?"

"None that I see." Dhar-Mon held out his hand. "Come on, Sister, we cannot simply let him win~"

.

.

"I'd say that went well." Senuna mused as she scratched Pangu behind the ears. The possum was nibbling on a piece of jerky Bradford had given him, and her Central Officer was now laid back on the couch. "Bradford, there is still daylight left if you'd like to swim~"

"Nah." He chuckled. "Doubt I remember how. When you grow up in rural Kansas it's an awful long walk to the beach."

"I could teach you." She sighed, looking out the window as the sun cut across the glassy waves. She saw the Chosen, the children, returning to the shore, playfully splashing and shoving each other into the waves, laughing like there was nothing wrong with the world.

* * *

(Another short one today, but after this, we'll be getting into some pretty intense stuff, so I wanted one more chapter where all seems to be well in the world!)


	30. Lady of the Oasis

(Content Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of gore, and parental abuse)

Nazira plucked a single dandelion from the sandy field that overlooked their humble lake. The sun was glittering over the water today and beating down on her own skin harshly. She pulled her hood up, keeping her olive skin covered. Bright green, nearly yellow eyes trailed over the oasis, and the old stone buildings that surrounded it. It was a lazy day today, and everyone was moving slowly.

She moved into the shade so she could remove her cloak, the thick garment making her hot. Under the simple fabric was a long, silken dress of burgundy that sat low on her shoulders. Golden jewelry adorned her hands and her neck, and on her arm, hugging her supple skin, was an arm bracelet in the shape of a golden cobra. That one, she kept close.

Her long, black hair pulled out of her face by a silk headband, Nazira's snake-like eyes scanned the bright streets and took in everything she saw, filtering it through a mind programmed to assess combat, to never stand still. Majority viper, nearly half the population. Sociable. Interacted with the other species. Hard to isolate. Easy to communicate with. Next, human. Surprisingly small population, _un_surprisingly unpredictable. Easy to talk to but hard to communicate with. They really liked the snakes. Use that. Less than 10% former ADVENT troopers. Exactly one Muton, named Ginnethoi. Shot in the jaw, had a speech impediment, could communicate via rudimentary sign-

Nazira sighed, squeezing her eyes shut as she leaned against the ancient stone wall. She wished she could be like her brother, but even then, she knew how hard he'd had to work to be able to turn his brain off, to get some semblance of peace.

Speaking of.

She made her way down the long narrow pathway towards the small, almost indiscriminate temple that sat a ways away from the main village. Despite its unassuming features, as she stepped up to the opening she found the walls covered in graffiti: drawing made in ancient Egypt, runes depicting the Theban triad of Amun and Mut and Khonsu. The inside was swathed in darkness, and she found as she stepped inside, it was cool, a blessed respite from the sun. Smokey incense filled the air, and nearly inaudible breathing echoed from within.

Nazira tapped loudly on the rock wall. "Ding dong!" She sang, and laughed at the grunt she received in return. No other sound followed, so she stepped farther into the darkness. "Are you awake, Zafar?"

"Unfortunately." Her dearest brother's voice came to meet her, and with that, her snake-like eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. He sat cross legged on his mat, facing the back wall of the temple where the stone shrine had been crudely rebuilt, and the weathered stone statue of Khonsu would be unrecognizable were it not for the inscription above him. Zafar had lit a candle before the altar, and his wavy black hair was loose from it's ponytail, and looked wet after the anointing from that morning.

"I saw a suspicious vehicle above our little village." Nazira cooed. "You know what that means."

"That it's time we come out of hiding." He agreed, getting to his feet slowly. His chest was bare, and she quickly handed him his shirt and coat. "...You really think they'll accept us?"

"I'm sure of it." Nazira put a comforting hand on her brother's shoulder. "If they embraced the Skirmishers, they are _meant_ to help us."

"Humans were meant to do many things, Nazira." Zafar's golden eyes met hers, pupils wide in the low light. "And each time they failed."

"Not every time." She punched him lightly. "You're so melodramatic."

"I am pragmatic." He scolded her as he began to button his shirt. "Something I wish you had inherited, Nazira."

She surged forward and planted a light kiss on his cheek. "You worry too much, it will wrinkle your pretty face." She fastened her own cloak again and took her brother's hand. "I believe it is time we reveal that face to the world."

.

.

"Well, I guess it is only a skip and a hop away from Carthage."

Jane sighed at the analogy. "Can you just say yes or no like a normal person, Commander?"

"Oh but Jane, I'm not normal~" Senuna giggled. She began to toy with the stack of papers on her desk, flipping through them absentmindedly. "Hm...and you said…?"

"They're not registered with the Resistance Council." Jane said. "Of course, it's not entirely unusual. But they're also...not human."

Senuna raised a brow at that. "I didn't realize there were other Skirmisher colonies."

"They're not Skirmishers. Well, not in the way we know them." Jane crossed her arms. "...It seems like some of the other species imprisoned by ADVENT have followed suit."

"The others?" Senuna mused. "Well if Verge managed it…who is the leader?"

"They have two leaders." Jane clarified. "Zafar Ba'al-Peor, and his sister, Nazira. He doesn't show himself often. She's a little bit more forward." She cleared her throat. "I'm told."

Senuna nodded slowly, her eyes seemingly glazing over as she contemplated this. "...This could be a trap."

"It could be." Jane admitted. "Could be ADVENT."

"Or it could be a group of people who want to help."

"Whatever your orders are, we'll follow." Jane confirmed, nodding as she did. "You haven't led us the wrong way yet."

"That's the spirit." She stood and patted Jane's cheek. "My dear girl~"

"I'm not a child, Commander." Jane looked away.

"Sweetheart, I held you as a baby, cut me some slack~" Senuna giggled and tossed the files back onto her desk. "Okay. Call Bradford in here and let's see what he thinks."

"You've already made up your mind." Jane protested.

"Yes, I have. But Bradford made me promise to at least consult with him first." She winked. "And convincing him I'm right isn't that hard."

.

.

"I think you'd be really pretty if you curled your hair." Malinalli said as she collapsed back on the booth. Her hair was still damp from the beach, and Pangu waddled up to her and sat at her feet, sniffing her slippers.

The Shrinemaiden stopped combing her hair briefly, looking back at her human friend. "...Really?"

"Mhm." Malinalli picked up Pangu, who snorted and settled on her chest. "It's already got some curl to it. If you used a bit of styling product to enhance it, it would look incredible."

Kon-Mai stared at her for a moment, her eyes falling away as she considered those words. "...I suppose…" She conceded, finally, going back to running the comb through her tangled white locks. The strands were so fine, it was hard to untangle them without ripping them out of her head.

Her brothers were both dressed in their sleeping clothes: Gur-Rai was lounging across the booth, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt with an illustration of Courage the Cowardly Dog plastered across the front. Dhar-Mon was sitting much more politely, wearing both his silk pajamas and a very comfy looking robe. Firebrand had made him some hot chocolate as well, and it all looked very cozy.

"If we are all maximizing our comfort…" Verge came over, wearing a very large t-shirt and nothing else to cover him "then I should be able to remove this."

"Absolutely not." Kon-Mai said.

"Why?"

"We are in public, you cannot go nude."

"I do not have genitals!" Verge exclaimed as he crossed his arms.

"If the other soldiers see a naked Sectoid on board, who's to say they won't mistake you for an enemy and shoot you?" Gur-Rai cut in. "We're keepin' you safe, Verge."

"...That is one of the better excuses I've heard." He admitted, crossing his arms. "Still an excuse."

They heard footsteps, and Kon-Mai looked up to see Jane enter the room. The two swordswomen locked eyes and Jane nodded.

"Hope you're all comfy." She said. "We're on the move again. The Commander needs you three up bright and early tomorrow."

"Why?" Gur-Rai asked as he plucked Pangu from Malinalli's lap. The possum let out a squeal, then settled around his shoulders.

"Another settlement needs our help." She chuckled. "A nearby haven has cropped up, and they're asking to make contact."

"I thought the Templars were our regional contact." Malinalli asked.

"The Templars…" Jane blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Well...Molly, you've seen them interact with normal soldiers. Would probably be best if we had a contact that didn't try to fight everyone we were trying to make peace with."

"Fair."

"Hm." Jane nodded in satisfaction. "The Commander wants you three to greet them personally. Thinks it'll ease negotiations."

"How will three great, grey monsters make negotiations any easier?" Dhar-Mon spoke up, taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

"These people aren't... " She hesitated. "...They're not...I...hm." She shrugged. "Commander's orders. Believe me, it'll make sense when you get there."

"In that case, we should turn in for the night." Kon-Mai got up from her heat and pulled her sweater on, covering all exposed skin. "We must sleep well and early, greet the world with a fresh face."

"Our faces? Fresh?" Gur-Rai laughed.

He meant it as a joke, but Kon-Mai felt the sting in her chest when he said that.

.

.

The night in the desert was unusually dark. The Avenger drifted lazily through the sky, like a bird floating on water. But despite the peace, sleep did not come easily.

At first Kon-Mai felt that the pricking on her skin might have been a sunburn, but soon she realized that the heat was not coming from her skin, but inside of her. As she laid back on her bed and tried to sleep, her breath kept coming in shorter and shorter bursts, cutting her esophagus with each movement. She sat up and noticed she was shaking, and she needed to do _something_ but was unsure as to what…

She laid back and closed her eyes, deciding that if she wasn't able to sleep, she could at least rest. It was better than nothing.

The night passed much more quickly after that, and soon Kon-Mai felt the prickle of red light gracing her eyelids. She opened her eyes, the bright orange sun cutting into her window. She wondered if she had managed to fall asleep. Her bones still felt so tired though…

She stood and dressed in her armor, noticing how utterly quiet the ship seemed to be this morning. Around this time, she would usually hear Bryni banging pots and pans together as she cooked breakfast, and alarms going off to wake the first round of morning duty soldiers. But there was none of that today. She didn't even hear the ship's engines, and that was a constant.

Kon-Mai power walked to the door, not bothering to pull back her hair or even to tie her yukata properly, and swung it open to reveal a sudden burst of cold, purple light.

As she darted out into the hall, calling for her brothers, a wave of fear came over her. The door behind her had disappeared, as had her armor, though instead of being left unclothed she looked down to see she was once again clad in her old, torn ADVENT armor, the chestplate half cracked and discarded. Around her the Avenger morphed into the pillars of the inner sanctum.

She tried to turn around and run back to her bed, to hide like a child from a monster, but the door was gone and an infinite drop off the walkway was all that remained.

She looked to either side, analyzing the unfortunately familiar surroundings. At one end, she saw the metal path extend far off into nowhere. She had never been down that way before, and the emptiness of it terrified her.

At the other, not 50 feet away, was an apparition, glowing red, in the shape of an alien woman she knew all too well.

Abyzou.

Kon-Mai wanted to run, to turn and sprint down that hallway until she faded into shadow and nothing. But her feet brought her forward, out of her control. She stood before her mother, a demon glowing crimson, and dropped to one knee.

_**"My sweet girl."**_ Abyzou's voice dripped with malice. _**"What is THIS?"**_

Kon-Mai looked up, only briefly. This conversation felt familiar to her somehow. _"I am so sorry."_ She whispered.

_**"What was that?"**_

_"I am so sorry, Vox Abyzou."_ Kon-Mai said, louder, her voice shaking. _"I could not help it."_

_**"Look at you…"**_ Abyzou raised one long, gnarled finger, also dipped in red, and yanked Kon-Mai's head to attention, grabbing her by the chin. _**"Look at your face."**_

Kon-Mai didn't dare look, but she brought one hand to her right cheek. It stung, and her fingers came away bloody. Her lip felt numb.

_"It will not leave a scar."_ She tried to assure her. She knew it hadn't: the cut had healed and the scar had faded and even then, she was later "killed" in an explosion and brought back fresh and clean once again.

_**"Look at your body."**_ Abyzou hissed. _**"Your calloused hands. Your bony hips. **_**Look at you**_**."**_

She looked down now, and like a magnifying glass she saw every flaw, every bruise and cut and bone. She was not as thin as her brother, but her hips were wide and protruding, and the skin under them dipped in like a crease before moving to her fleshy thighs. Across her belly, there was that long scar she had given herself, inflamed and red and oozing purple and green. Even in this nightmare, she could smell that nauseating sweetness.

_**"There is so much wrong with you."**_ Abyzou ripped her hand away. _**"How could my precious blood have birthed something so utterly deformed?"**_

The words stung. _"I won, Vox Abyzou."_ She rasped out, knowing this conversation by heart. Every word was burned into her memory. _"I destroyed the entire convoy. All the soldiers. The train is safe. You are safe."_

_**"And you expect praise?"**_ Abyzou made a sound that could have been a laugh. _**"You were simply making up for your many, many shortcomings. A train? As if that will save us from our demise. As if that will help."**_ She clenched her fist, and Kon-Mai flinched. She could feel her heart racing, the temperature in her body growing hotter.

_"Mother…"_ Kon-Mai collapsed forward on her hands, writhing in agony. She tried to keep silent, but couldn't help the whimpers as Abyzou's infernal magic cut into her cells and stripped her of her life. _"Please have mercy…"_

_**"Be SILENT."**_ Her mother's booming voice echoed on the chamber's high walls, and with it, the pillar of purple light slammed into Kon-Mai. _**"THAT is what I want from you. To be silent. Be STILL. I wanted a beautiful jewel to look upon, and all I have is broken glass! That's what you are."**_ She hissed, wringing her hand so hard, glowing ichor dripped past her fingers. **"You are broken."**

Kon-Mai gagged as she felt her heart burst, her ribs break and her lungs pop. Her vision was fading fast as she desperately tried to get her breath back, driven by nothing but a primal, _human_ need to survive. Her body was crumbling around her and as she let out a scream…

She sat up in bed. The sun was barely up, and the distinct shades of yellow and pink met her eyes. She heard the gentle hum of the ship's engine, the bustle of soldiers in the bar, talking and laughing…

Kon-Mai put one hand to her chest, her heart still racing, but definitely still beating.

.

.

The Avenger touched down on shifting sand. The heat and light in the distance gave the illusion of a sea of water, vapor rising in the air, but anyone who looked out onto the dead landscape would see that it was dunes alone.

The bridge came down, and there they stood: XCOM's pride and joy. The Commander in front, clothed in sheer white, glowing in the sun. Beside her, Bradford, Zhang and Jane, at attention, like always. And behind them, towering like pillars, the Chosen were clad in their armor.

Kon-Mai felt like she was floating, perhaps because of the lack of sleep or the heat. Her brothers stood on either side of her but she dared not lean on them, for the heat was bad and they both had enough to carry as it was.

For a while after they landed, the sand remained empty and barren, a deserted landscape with no one in sight. Jane looked over to Bradford. "We didn't get stood up, did we?"

"Look." Zhang answered instead, pointing out into the sand. At first, there was nothing, then Gur-Rai craned his neck.

"Someone's coming." He said.

Kon-Mai squinted against the bright sun, and slowly but surely, she saw a figure drawing closer and closer, moving gracefully and lithely like a snake. As it approached the ship, the figure of a woman was distinguishable, her head covered by a loose, pink hood, partially obscuring long black hair. She was tall, and her body was thinner than Kon-Mai had ever seen in a human, almost suspiciously so. Her long tunic was a soft burgundy color, and under her hood, Kon-Mai could feel her green eyes scanning over them.

The woman stopped just short of the ramp, eyes landing on Gur-Rai, and a smile of absolute delight came over her face. "My dear!"

Gur-Rai blinked, meeting her eyes in confusion. "Me?"

"You don't remember?" The woman smiled warmly. "I had heard the rumors...but I never thought I would see you again!"

He blinked, narrowing his eyes for a moment. "...No way." His face broke into a wide smile. "Nazira?!"

"It is me!" She took down her hood and shook out her long, silken hair. "In flesh and blood!"

Gur-Rai shoved past Jane, almost knocking her over, and ran down the ramp, practically tackling Nazira in a hug. It was then that Kon-Mai realized she was nearly as tall as he was, though still light enough that he was able to pick her up and spin her around like he was dancing with her.

"It's been so long!" She cried, her voice muffled from her face being buried in his shoulder. "There were rumors you had left the Elders, but I dared not let myself hope!"

"But hope is what brought us here, my dear~" He pulled away, turning to the confused group (and the very annoyed Jane). "Brother, Sister, you never met Nazira, did you?"

"Was she one of your many liaisons?" Kon-Mai descended the ramp and bowed to the strange woman, who was still shorter than her, but not by much. It was a weird feeling. "I cannot say I remember you, Nazira. I am sorry."

"Well, you wouldn't even if we'd met before." Nazira chuckled. "I have changed quite a bit."

"I'll say~" Gur-Rai let out a wolf whistle. "I didn't know you set up shop out here in bumfuck nowhere."

"Oh, this place is actually quite lovely. You just have to find it." She turned away from the Chosen and looked up. "Hm. I wonder which of you is the Commander."

"That would be-" Bradford began, but Nazira cut him off.

"I was kidding." She extended her skirt in a curtsy. "Commander Senuna. I have heard so many stories about you."

"All of which are true, I'm sure." Senuna said with a giggle. She began to descend onto the sandy plateau, beckoning her present company to follow. "Is it just you?"

"My brother awaits your arrival back home." Nazira replied. "He's a little bit paranoid—too paranoid if you ask me. But he insists." She turned around, staring out into what they thought must have been empty desert. "Come come, follow me."

.

.

As they drew deeper into the heat, the vapor of mirage began to dissipate, and before their eyes emerged an array of stone houses, rising up out of the sand and dust. Around the houses, like a ring, were fields of green grass and flowers that sat as a barrier between it and the harshness of the world around. Within that ring of green and the maze of stone, a glittering blue lake sat like the pupil of an eye.

Nazira led them in through a stone archway, which opened up to winding stone paths and dry houses made of clay, decorated with colorful cloth and looked around nervously. "Why are there so many snakes here?"

"Snakes?" Dhar-Mon looked at the ground and staggered, scared he was going to step on one of these mystery snakes.

"He means the vipers, Brother." Gur-Rai chuckled. As he gestured around, the other two Chosen did notice the multitude of serpentine women, some wearing head coverings and holding back their hoods, some cloaked in modified human clothes, but not a single one holding weapons.

"The snakes are here for the same reason as everyone else." Nazira deliberately turned and stared Bradford down. "To escape from the tyranny that is ADVENT."

He said nothing, but Gur-Rai saw his hand move to his gun.

They came to one slightly larger house near the center of the small town, shaded by intricate red rugs that looked similar to ones they had seen in Nuwa's room at Vorontsovo. Nazira pushed aside the cloth that blocked the door and stood to the side. "Brother, I'm home and I brought friends!"

As they stepped inside, the surprisingly cool air hit their skin first, causing most of the company to shiver. As her eyes adjusted to the low light, Kon-Mai saw that the inside, though made of the same clay, was neat and swept clean, with more colorful rugs covering the bare concrete floor. At a low table on the other side of the room, she saw a man with long, wavy black hair sitting with his back to them. In his hand was a steaming cup of tea: she could smell the peppermint and it gave her some vague comfort.

"Ah." He said as he rose to his feet, straightening up to reveal his tall, thin, lanky figure. He turned, and greenish-yellow eyes scanned the room, landing on Senuna. "And so the mysterious Commander shows herself. Welcome to Dakhla Oasis."

"It is an honor." She smiled, and her teeth flashed pearly in the low light. "I assume you are Zafar Ba'al-Peor?"

"Yes, I was the one who sent word to you." He confirmed. He scanned the room, and Kon-Mai could see his mind processing everything at a mile a minute. His gaze fell on Gur-Rai and…

"Damn it." He sighed. "You again."

"Oh come on now." Gur-Rai walked right up to him and socked him in the shoulder. "You missed me~"

"I will miss the peace and quiet more." He growled, but Kon-Mai saw just the hint of a smile on his face. "Please keep your unholy transgressions with my sister to an indoor noise level."

"Oh, I'll be quiet as a mouse, Zafar. I'll make no promises for Nazira~" Gur-Rai snaked one long arm around Nazira's waist.

"Stop that, you dog~" She giggled.

"Yes, stop it please." Bradford snapped. "You can play later. It's time we got down to business."

"Of course." Zafar sat at the narrow end of the table, and Senuna plopped down criss-cross-applesauce across from him. She leaned forward, a smirk on her face.

"What do you need from me?" She asked.

.

.

The afternoon seemed to drag on, in that way it does when one is experiencing something unpleasant like a class lecture. Or, in this case, a debate gone very, very awry. While Jane, Bradford and Zhang stood behind their Commander, backing her up in the event that Zafar foolishly tried to attack, the Chosen hung back: Dhar-Mon and Kon-Mai relaxed by the doorway, and Gur-Rai was sprawled across a nearby couch one of the only pieces of furniture in the room. Nazira sat beside him, laying back comfortably on his chest.

Senuna raised her cup of tea to her lips, eyes unmoving as they met Zafar's golden gaze.

"Well?" He pressed, his tone anxious.

"You're asking for a lot." She admitted.

"It is nothing short of what we need." He assured her. "We have access to supplies; food and water and there's an Elerium deposit in the mountains of Al-Wahat." He was trying to maintain a calm demeanor, but from the tapping of his finger on the table, she could see he was anxious.

"I know. But 100 soldiers is too much for us to spare." She shook her head. "As it is, we only carry about 75 with us on the Avenger. The rest are stationed at other havens, and they're already spread thin. Most don't have more than a few."

Zafar chewed on his lip. "We are being targeted by ADVENT." He elaborated. "I only ask for what we need, and I would never ask this of you without offering all I could in return."

"I can spare 50, at most." Senuna said.

"It is not enough!" He snapped. Before Senuna could react, or Bradford could draw his weapon though, he sighed and sat back. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay." She looked at him sympathetically. "...How have you been sleeping?"

"Poorly." He admitted. "It is not me I fear for. I may be taken back to ADVENT. I will suffer, but what is the suffering of one man? It is my people I fear for: the Vipers have eggs here, and many are already nesting. At least one human couple has children. Besides them, the denizens of this oasis simply want a place to live in peace, and if ADVENT finds us they will all be dashed under a trooper's boot."

Senuna sat back, and Bradford spoke up. "What did you do that makes you such a hot commodity?" He said with resounding snark. "I kind of doubt you're more important than the Commander."

Zafar turned his golden eyes on Bradford. "It is not what I did, but who I am. Who…" He gestured to Nazira. "Who we were. Our mere existence could incite rebellion. You've seen it with the Skirmishers."

"Indeed." Nazira rose from her seat. "Imagine if the Elders old forgotten pets suddenly rose up and usurped them."

"Old forgotten…?" Bradford narrowed his eyes.

"You really don't see it?" For the first time since they arrived, Zhang spoke up. "Look at their eyes, Bradford. They're snake eyes."

All of a sudden it clicked. The tall, lanky bodies, the black hair, the eyes, "You two are Thin Men!"

Zafar nodded, almost in relief, but Nazira crossed her arms, her confident smirk just a bit tense. "You'd be right, although 'Thin _Man_' is hardly the appropriate term for me, at least nowadays."

"I don't recall any female infiltrator units." Zhang looked at her sideways. "There was only the Thin Men, was there not?"

"I'm well aware of that." She fiddled with her tunic as she searched for the words. "The Elders changed us into the image they saw fit, with no regard for who we truly were. They stole us away from our home, molded us to their liking, and assigned us an identity. An identity that I knew was not mine." She met his eyes with confidence. "I'm a woman now, I always was, and I always will be."

"That is fair." Zhang nodded. "That does leave the question of how you two escaped."

"Each ADVENT unit has a chip." Jane said. "I assume yours malfunctioned, like the rest?"

"Perhaps. One of the human engineers assumes it's some kind of hardware rot." Zafar spoke up. "Nazira's broke before mine did, but mine followed suit quickly after."

"Rest assured, Commander, we are chip free." Nazira settled back into the loveseat, leaning back against Gur-Rai's chest.

"That's quite a story." Senuna laced her fingers together. "You truly think ADVENT is hunting you? Don't they have better things to do? Like hunt me?"

"I would have hoped so...no offense, Commander." Zafar cleared his throat. "But before coming to Dakhla, Nazira and I were accosted constantly by ADVENT soldiers and troops. I would very much like to believe we are safe here in hiding, but I can't be sure. I can't take that risk."

Senuna seemed to ruminate on this. "I'll see what I can do to help you, Zafar. I can't promise anything, but...maybe I can call in a few favors."

Zafar's face seemed to relax immensely. "...Thank you, Senuna."

She nodded. "In the meantime, would it be possible for my soldiers to deplane and relax for a bit? Your city is lovely and they'd love to explore~"

"After what you've agreed to? Please." He took a sip of his now cold tea. "It's the least we can do."

.

.

"So what is it you do for fun in this lonely little town?" Gur-Rai asked as Nazira took his arm in hers and dragged him through the streets. His siblings followed behind at a distance, walking slowly to give the two a wide berth.

"Farming, fishing, guard patrol…" She sighed and flipped her hair. "It is _incredibly_ dull here, but maybe dull is what I need."

"Really now? Haven't found someone to replace me yet?"

"Replace the Chosen Hunter?" She cackled. "A few have tried. None can measure up, figuratively and literally."

"Thank you…" He trailed off. "But I don't go by 'Hunter' anymore. XCOM calls me Darkstrider."

Nazira was silent for a moment. "Hm. I always figured your name was the one thing the Elders gave you that you liked."

"It's not bad…" He shrugged. "But let's face it, I was never good at hunting."

"Well, you found me." She giggled.

"Yes." He nodded. "And then I let you go."

"You made the right choice." She assured him. "I would have suffered a slow demise in the Elders' grasp. Out here, people know who I am and actually respect it."

He brushed a lock of long, black hair behind her ear. "I am glad you regret nothing, Nazira."

"I only regret not knocking you out and taking you with me." She said. "More for your sake than mine."

"My sister would have hunted you down."

"Maybe _she_ would have actually found us."

"Not likely, she can't see six feet in front of her own face~"

"I can hear you!" Kon-Mai snapped behind them.

Nazira broke into a laugh and led them farther down the narrow streets, towards the oasis in the center. To one side, one of the houses was topped by a tall, magnificent tower with a makeshift satellite atop it. She stopped for a moment, pointing up at it. "That's what we used to call your people."

"They're my people now?" Gur-Rai chuckled.

"They always were." She beckoned them toward it. "Come, let's get out of the sun. I am burning out here."

"I agree." Dhar-Mon sounded hesitant. "But perhaps one of us should check on the Avenger?"

"Didn't I just say that's a radio tower?" Nazira raised a brow. "We can call them in there."

"I…" He blushed, turning briefly purple. "Yes...you did."

"His girlfriend is on the ship~" Gur-Rai leaned over, barely bothering to whisper.

"She is nothing of the sort!" Dhar-Mon was blushing so hard, he looked like a grape. "I am worried about all of the personnel! Not just Malinalli!"

"Girlfriend or not, she sounds lovely." Nazira used her shoulder to heave aside the huge stone door that marked the entrance to the tower. "Come, we can place a call to them inside if you are so desperate to see her~"

The inside may have been narrow, but it was far from empty. The stairs leading up top were but an addition on the side: in the center was a maze of stone shelves that held various books, from fiction to technical know how, including a very worn out "Radio Communication for Dummies".

"Are you not worried this will start a fire?" Kon-Mai asked.

"Not at the moment. All the electrical gear is at the very top." She looked over the two. "I assume you know how to operate a radio? Or would you like to browse our collection?"

Dhar-Mon began to open his mouth, most likely to take her up on that offer to read books, but his brother cut in. "They'll be fine, right guys?" He gave them a look. "Why don't you go upstairs and put in that call."

"But I do not-" Dhar-Mon was once again interrupted, this time by Kon-Mai sighing.

"Of course, Brother." She sneered. "Protect yourself down here."

"Oh I will." He winked as Nazira pulled him into the maze of books.

Kon-Mai took her older brother by the arm. "Come. They want some time alone."

"Well that is fine." He grumbled. "But I still do not know how to use a radio."

"I have some experience." She assured him. "If we put our heads together, we can most likely figure it-"

Dhar-Mon snapped his fingers. "That is it! Psionics! You are a genius, Sister."

Kon-Mai smiled. "Is that all I am?"

"No." He put a hand on her back, both as comfort and to protect her from what was becoming a steep drop. "You are kind and beautiful as well."

* * *

Summary: At the beginning of the chapter, we are introduced to a character named Nazira, who examines her hometown while reflecting on it's inhabitants. The haven is made up of Vipers and humans at least, with one notable Muton. Suffering from a headache, she abandons her current thoughts and joins her brother, Zafar, in what appears to be meditation at an ancient temple, dedicated to three Ancient Egyptian gods. Nazira tells Zafar she saw the Avenger today, and the two agree that it is time to make contact, though Zafar is nervous in doing so.

On board the Avenger, Jane informs Senuna that Zafar has made contact, and Senuna agrees to meet with them at their home. Jane goes to the Chosen, who are relaxing after their day at the beach, and inform them that Senuna wants them present for negotiations, to which Dhar-Mon and Gur-Rai comment that their faces may only serve to scare them away. That night, Kon-Mai has a nightmare about Elder Abyzou, who made several disparaging comments about the former's appearance in the past, which Kon-Mai still holds onto.

Landing in the desert, the group meets Nazira, who is revealed to have been one of Gur-Rai's old flames, and they are excited to see one another. She leads them to Dakhla Oasis, where she introduces them to Zafar and negotiations begin. Zafar wants 100 soldiers to guard the oasis, and Senuna informs him that that is not a possibility. Zafar is adamant, saying that as he and Nazira are escaped Thin Men, the Elders accosted them regularly, and he fears his people will be caught in their wrath. Zhang expresses some confusion towards Nazira, who clarifies that she is a woman, despite the gender the Elders assigned to her while she was in their service. Impressed with the story of their escape, Senuna agrees to call in some favors, but makes no promises as to whether they'll be able to help. In return, Zafar allows the Avenger's crew to rest and relax at the oasis.

(Well, I meant to wake up earlier to post this but I hit snooze too many times and now it's late afternoon! Oh well, at least it's out, and I'm quite proud and excited for this arc of the story. Thing are about to get very, very exciting.)


	31. Arguments of Yesteryear

Betos sometimes missed the ocean, but she supposed the green rivers and red hills were beautiful. As long as there was water here, _clean _water for her people to drink, she would be alright.

Some of the children were already awake this early morning, splashing around in the clear running water. She kept one eye on them always. The rapids could get so fast and so deep, and before they even knew it they'd be swept away.

She never stripped down fully, but even allowing herself to be out here in her bra and undergarments was a mix of hair-raising and relieving. She hated her bulky armor, but her body felt empty without it.

She put one tentative toe into the bubbling water and sighed, relief mixing over her. Her forehead was already dotted with magenta tinted sweat: the day was looking to be a hot one, and the water washed that all away. She strode the rest of the way, nearly slipping on the river rocks as the water suddenly dropped off into a deep pit. She treated against the current, reaching out and holding onto a branch so she could float along the water without fear of being swept downstream.

_"I should bring Kon-Mai here."_ As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Betos stopped that train where it started. The Assassin had been a staple of her thoughts since her escape so long ago, but since bringing her here...she had often found herself thinking of the blue woman, and not out of fear.

_"Arura!" _

She heard the children calling for her, and rose from the water to look over to them. She called out to them in Etheric first, then in English. "What is in your hands?"

_"Plhaw!"_ They called out, and one of them ran over, holding something up. _"Ezti plhaw!"_

"Enshag!" She called out his name. "Be careful!" She swam over as the little hybrid stumbled on the slippery rocks and nearly fell. Betos caught the boy, trending water with one arm while holding him. "Now, what is it that you found?"

Enshag opened his hand. "It's a _plhaw_."

"I see." She smiled down at the little green frog sitting in his hand. "What's the human word for it?"

"..._Frø_?" He said tentatively.

She giggled. "That is but one name for it." She said, taking the little frog in her own hand. "Like there are many names for us."

"_Mordenna_." Someone called from the bank, and she looked up. Nitocris stood there, her rare, soft white locks pulled back into a bun that sat low on her neck. Her eyes spoke that she was needed, and that it could not wait.

Betos lifted Enshag back up onto the bank. "Return to your friends." She insisted.

"Can't you stay longer?" She saw his eyes well up with tears. "Please _Arura_?"

She looked up at Nitocris, as if asking her permission to stay. The Other Skirmisher but her lip and motioned for her to follow.

"I'm sorry, _dhay_." Betos said. "I have to go now. There are many who need me."

.

.

"So?"

Gur-Rai opened one eye. "So…?"

"Do you like it?" Nazira asked as she parted her black hair over her shoulders, running her fingers through it to remove the tangles. He could hardly see her in the dim light, but the way the shadows framed her face made her look like a painting.

The pile of rugs and pillows he laid on protected him from the cold stone floor, and Gur-Rai was reluctant to sit up. He was so comfortable. "Your hair? It's lovely~"

"Not _just_ the hair." She sounded almost indigent. "Surely you noticed the changes? Or did taking out that chip take half your brain with it?"

"If it did, would you still love me?" He lashed his arm out and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her close to him.

"I'll love you if you answer my question." She looked serious now, and...nervous? He rarely saw her like _that_. "Do I still look like...me?"

In an attempt to reassure her, he laid a kiss on her bare shoulder, trailing up her neck and taking a moment to nibble her ear. "Are you happy when you look in the mirror?" He whispered.

She didn't take long to answer. "...I'd say so." She said. "I _feel _more like me."

"Then I love it." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him, rocking her back and forth. "You may look different now, but you're still the woman I fell for years and years and yeeeeeeaaars-"

She smacked him lightly, and stood up. "You haven't changed a bit, you know?"

"Well, that's disappointing." He put his hand behind his head as Nazira began lacing up the stray threads on her tunic, laying back leisurely on the pile of books they'd used to prop themselves up.

"Depends on how you look at it. Too much change can be a bad thing." She winked. "Ask the climate."

"Oh ha ha." He grabbed his pants, shoving one leg into them and then the other. "You don't suppose my siblings heard the raucous?"

"If they did, you'd be on the business end of your sister's blade right now." She said. "Remember Unification Day?"

"Which one?"

"2034."

"The one where the Speaker tried alcohol for the first time?"

"No, that was the year before that." She felt around, one shoe in hand, looking for the other one. "In '34 we decided to go pub crawling in Jinan? We tried Absinthe, I got blood poisoning and the owner tried to fistfight you. The Assassin had to send in her personal force to get us out of that one."

"Oh yeah." He chuckled, then shuddered. "That was an...experience. I never thought I'd say it but I'm glad Kon-Mai was there."

Nazira froze, staring at him with a near blank, contemplative expression.

"What?" He shrugged, pulling on his undershirt. "If she hadn't been there to break up the rigamarole, I might have been beaten to death. By a _civvy_, no less. And that's just not an acceptable death for a Chosen."

"I know." She chuckled. "I just never thought I'd hear you say you were grateful for anything your sister did."

He pondered this or a moment, then shrugged. "Sometimes change is a very good thing."

"Yes, I know." She giggled.

.

.

"I got it!" Malinalli insisted, shooing Verge out of the way.. She reached down and grabbed the heavy box, grunting as she lifted it.

"I am able to pick it up." Verge insisted. "My wounds healed long ago, Molly. Please."

"I know. But I know where Tygan likes the stimpacks." She said, practically dragging the box down the hall. Verge followed her close behind. "He's just very picky about...well, you know how Tygan is."

"I don't know him nearly enough." Verge sighed as he watched Malinalli work. "There is much of XCOM I still have not seen."

"I could give you a tour sometime." She chuckled.

"When shall we join the others?" He asked. "I have not seen many resistance havens, and this one is said to house former ADVENT soldiers. People like me..."

"Well, when the Commander gives the all clear, I suppose." She replied as she dropped the box, tearing it open. "You've really never been? I've seen Sectoids in havens before."

"No. I mostly took care of...prisoners retrieved after the missions." He got a bit quiet as he knelt beside the box.

Malinalli struggled for what to say next, not wanting to leave the conversation empty. "Um, well, because of them, now you're here!"

He nodded. "But is my life worth a thousand of theirs?" He asked.

Malinalli let a small sigh slip through and busied herself with the stimpacks. "...Your life is important." She finally added.

His silence spoke volumes. Luckily, it was broken by Vicky walking in, her Minnie mouse buns tied tight and prim. "I can do that!" She insisted. "The Commander gave us you the OK to leave the ship."

"I got it." Malinalli tried to stop her. "You don't want to go?"

Vicky hesitated. "...I'll be fine here…" She finally said. She sounded like she didn't mean it.

"It is unhealthy for humans to avoid social contact." Verge said. "I know this to be a fact."

"Let us know if you change your mind." Malinalli stood. "Come on, Verge."

"Me?" He raised a brow.

"You always wanted to see a haven." She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to his feet. "Let's go."

.

.

Senuna leaned on the edge of the stone window and gazed out over the vibrant oasis, her blue eyes sparkling like the water in the lake. She brushed back some hair behind her ear as the wind picked up, her cape billowing in the calm breeze. It was surprisingly cool for being in the middle of the desert. A little chunk of heaven.

"You're thinking." Bradford said behind her.

"Well I'd hope so. Gotta use this noggin somehow." She giggled as she turned to him. He handed her a bottle of water, and she popped the cap and took a long drink. "Thank you."

He nodded. "I've been talking with Jane and Zhang."

"Oh have you now." She sighed. "Let me guess, we're giving them too many resources."

"Yep." Bradford nodded. "I'm just not sure we can spare that many soldiers without getting something in return. I think we should at least look into making this a mutually beneficial relationship."

She raised a brow.

"Most of these guys are former ADVENT." He said. "Commander, I'm kinda shocked you didn't think of this."

"You're suggesting we start training them." She smiled.

"Exactly. They're already halfway there. We just have to...acclimate them to working with humans."

Senuna seemed to pause. "...Hm."

"Hm good or hm bad?" Bradford cracked a smile.

"I like it." She said, handing him back the water. "But-"

"There's hardly ever a 'but' with you." He said. "What's different this time?"

"Nothing's different, I've always had a flat ass~" She giggled.

"Commander."

Senuna's face grew cold and serious for a moment, and she gazed out the window again. "...You know I have trouble sometimes...relating to people."

"But these guys are different?" Bradford asked.

"They're human." She said. "But they're also so alien. They're like the Skirmishers. They're…"

"They're like you."

"They're like me." She smiled. "...Bradford, I feel bad for them."

"If you think it's a bad idea, just say so." He leaned on the wall beside her. "You get the final say, Commander."

"No, it's a good idea. In fact, it's necessary." She straightened up. "I should call another meeting with Zafar then. Tell him our new terms~"

.

.

Kon-Mai ran her fingers over the buttons and dials on the control panel. Half of them were rusty, one of them didn't turn at all, and that was the power button. It was almost laughable the state this thing was in, but still…

"It is fascinating?" He brother asked, standing behind her.

She shrugged. "Gur-Rai would like it more. I am no good with machines."

"Then that is two of us." He chuckled. "Although I do like to wonder at the mystery of these things. With the Elders, it all seemed so fluid. It never occurred to me the sheer force of will needed to make it work."

Kon-Mai sat down in the dusty old chair. "It seems like more trouble than it's worth."

"I could say the same about your swords." A voice said behind her. "But I don't, because I'm nice~"

She spun around and saw Gur-Rai ascending the stairs, Nazira close behind him.

Dhar-Mon harrumphed and crossed his arms. "I hope you two enjoyed your little premarital escapade."

"It's not premarital if you never get married." Nazira winked. "So hold the insults until I toss the bouquet."

"What is this machine?" Kon-Mai asked, pointing to the contraption behind her.

"Oh, the old radio." Nazira walked over and leaned on the desk, pushing a few buttons as she did. "Zafar found this place by locking onto it's signal. We have no idea what it was originally for, but it's been very useful."

"It's how they found the Avenger." Gur-Rai piped up.

"To be fair, your ship is big and slow and noisy." She giggled. "All you have to do to find it is look up."

"I disagree." Dhar-Mon insisted. "I could never find it."

"Well." Nazira smiled. "You obviously don't have the best...sense of direction."

He growled, baring his sharp teeth. "I was the greatest of the Chosen, before I renounced the Elders. If the ship was findable, I would have found it."

"_YOU _were the greatest." Gur-Rai laughed. "Yeah right."

"You forget, Brother." Kon-Mai scowled. "Who was it who brought in Pratal Mox as a prisoner? Who was it who saved the Speaker from an assault on his own home? Who was it who-"

"Who was it who lost Betos?" Gur-Rai added. "Twice, Sister. And once when she literally came to you."

"Betos is a trained warrior, one of the best this planet has to offer...if I had been told of her capabilities, I would not have lost." Kon-Mai stood, bristling. "_My point is_, I was just as capable as you when we were under the Elder's thumb." Kon-Mai stood, bristling.

"I mean you no offense, Sister." Dhar-Mon growled. "But if anyone would have fulfilled the Elders' wishes and captured the commander, it would have been me. You two did not have your heart in the fight."

"Excuse you." Now Gur-Rai looked offended. "Hunting the Commander was in my very name! I would have found her long before you."

"And yet, you didn't."

"They had a flying ship! If you ask me, that is an unfair advantage!"

"None of this matters." Kon-Mai said. "We ceased that trivial hunt long ago."

"Trivial?! My reputation was on the line, Sister!"

"Your reputation was that of a scoundrel and a flake." She crossed her arms. "You cannot cry to me about losing your pride when you had none to uphold in the first place."

"Well what about you?" Gur-Rai spat. "Miss 'I'd NEVER join those traitor Skirmishers' sure seems to be getting pretty buddy-buddy with them now. Where'd your pride go, Sister?"

"How dare you? I _always _keep my word." Kon-Mai growled.

Dhar-Mon shook his head. "You claimed you would keep your word to the Elders on pain of death. That if you failed them, their judgement and punishment was fair. Where did those words go, Sister?"

"Are you questioning my integrity?" She hissed, her yellow teeth bared. "And if you knew the pain I went through that day, you would agree that my vows to them are forfeit!"

"You insinuate I do not know pain?!" He leaned down toward her. "It was not your skull that Bhandasura tore apart! You sought to end yourself before you dared to face that."

"Are you saying I took the easy way?!" Kon-Mai gasped.

"I am saying you knew what was coming." Dhar-Mon avoided her eyes. "So you cannot stand to lecture me on such things, when you are an oath breaker yourself."

Kon-Mai looked like he'd just slapped her in the face, and stood there speechless, her eyes wide and slightly wet.

Gur-Rai just chuckled. "Well I guess I got lucky then. _I_ got taken down the good old fashioned way."

"Funny that you brag about being able to hunt the humans, and yet you were the only one truly felled by them." Kon-Mai snapped. "Stop your gloating, neither of you are better than I am!"

"I'm not saying that!" Gur-Rai snapped.

"I can hear it under your breath!"

"It is like you Brother! To put us down like this!"

"Well you wanna know what I think?" Nazira finally spoke up.

"No." Kon-Mai spat.

"You are going to side with HIM." Dhar-Mon pointed to Gur-Rai.

"I do love him, I'll admit. But no, Gur-Rai _can _be criticized." She sat down and crossed her legs, looking the Darkstrider in the eye. "Darling, you were never going to beat XCOM because you didn't give two shits. We both know it. You stuck with the Elders for the nice toys and the immortality, but Dhar-Mon was right. Your heart just wasn't in it."

Gur-Rai looked shocked. "Hunting is what I do." He growled, but his voice was shaking.

"Exactly. You were the Hunter, not a Killer." She giggled. "Oh, you're out there talking big game about being a hard bastard, but you wear your heart on your sleeve, love, and I've seen it more than once. You wanted XCOM to win."

Dhar-Mon and Kon-Mai looked back at their brother in shock, who avoided their gaze.

"You wanted their victory the whole time?" Kon-Mai stammered.

"Konnie. Wasn't it obvious?" Nazira chuckled. "He didn't know it of course, but this man hardly ever knows what he's thinking. I'm one to talk but it's true." She reached up and wrapped her arm around Dhar-Mon's wide shoulders. "And you, you big brute...you were never the Elder's favorite. I know this, they know it, and _you _know it too." She glared at Kon-Mai. "And you, Sweetie, need to get off your goddamn high horse."

"What?" Kon-Mai hissed more in shock than in anger.

"You heard me. Honor and bravery are nice concepts, but in this world there's only one thing that matters, and it's not your false sense of superiority. You broke your vow to the Elders. Granted, I agree with you, you had reason. But you still broke it. You can't act lawful when your very existence depends on chaos." She looked up. "That goes for you too, Hero Monk."

He pulled away from her, and Nazira turned on her heel and sat once again, the chair swaying side to side.

"You three are all you have in this world." She said. "Whether you like it or not."

"I know." Kon-Mai whispered. "I know that."

"Then stop quarreling." Nazira said. "My brother and I would have died long ago if we let trivial things like this tear us apart."

The three were silent, staring at the ground like children who had just been scolded.

Dhar-Mon cleared his throat. "Kon-Mai, I apologize..."

She looked up at him, something shining in her magenta eyes. "...I forgive you, Dhar-Mon. And I'm sorry too."

They both turned and looked at Gur-Rai, who looked away.

"...I'm sorry." He finally muttered. "I...I didn't mean any of it, Brother, Sister. I-"

"It's alright." She held up a hand. "Let us forget this."

There was still a sense of turmoil hanging in the air, but the three of them shoved it out of their line of focus, choosing to instead bury the hatchet where it lay.

Nazira chuckled as she leaned back and laced her fingers together. No doubt Zafar would grill her later about abandoning her duties to go gallivanting across the desert, but this, she felt, was far more important.

.

.

"Thank you both for humoring my request at an audience." Geist said, his voice slightly distorted by the sound of the radio. His image on the screen was little more than a fuzzy apparition. In the corner, Betos saw her own visage, and that of the Reapers' leader, Konstantine Volikov.

"This better be good, Geist, you know what fucking time it is here?" Volk muttered. "I'm an old man, I need my sleep."

Betos rolled her eyes. "Since when did you sleep at such an early hour, Volk?"

"Don't patronize me, you wrinkly bitch." His insult was half-hearted and Betos had long ago learned it was easier to just let them roll off her rather than try and fight him on his manners. He took a swig from his flask, belched, and jabbed at the camera. "So what's the sitch?"

"The Commander is conspiring against us." Geist said, leaning forward in his chair.

Betos sighed. Not this again. "In what way?"

"She has gone behind the back of the Templars and made contact with a haven." He elaborated.

"Now, I'm not one to defend the Commander." Volk said. "But who died and made you Elder? XCOM doesn't need your permission to talk to the people in your region, Geist, as important as you like to think you are."

"I know that, Volikov." He spat. "I knew of this haven's existence long before she met with their nefarious leader and his whore sister. They are Snake Men of ADVENT, and they harbor deadly alien creatures within their walls."

Betos paused, conflicting emotions rising inside of her. "What deadly creatures?" She asked. "Chryssalids?"

"No, Vipers and Mutons." Geist replied. "They have a sizable human population as well, but they are more depraved and corrupt than Sodom and Gamorrah alike." He shook his head, the video shuddering with the movement.

"Geist, I advise you to think long and hard about who you are talking to." Betos said. "My people are half alien, Ethereal DNA runs in our blood. Are we as depraved as you say they are?"

"Yeah, Geist." Volk chuckled, clearly inebriated.

"You two are missing the point." He said. "The Thin Men were confidants of the Elders, harbingers of the invasion. To cavort with them is to dance with death."

"I think we already are." Volk said. "She's already recruited the goddamn Chosen, who knows what she'll stop at?"

"The Chosen…" Betos had to choose her words carefully. "They have made horrible errors for which they must atone. But they are on the path to redemption."

"Bullshit." Volk tossed his cup aside. "Bull-Fucking-Shit. I don't want those fuckers anywhere near my camp. Which, by the way, is being SWARMED by ADVENT patrols because the Blue Man Group let a Sectoid go free."

"Perhaps they planned it." Geist crossed his arms.

""I know we do not always see eye to eye Volk, but if your people need shelter, the Sedona Haven is open to you." Betos added quickly. "The Reapers and Skirmishers are kin now, Volk."

"Hm." Volk smirked. "I keep forgetting we're technically in-laws."

She bristled a bit at that, but shook it off. "If we all have these concerns, should we not contact the commander of XCOM and ask her these things?" She said.

"Have you met Senuna?" Volk spat. "She'll go fucking ballistic!"

"I've served on the Avenger, Volk." Betos hissed. "I was there when she made the decision to capture Kon-Mai Mordenna. She will listen to reason, and barring that, she will listen to me if I ask." She knew this to be a fact. She'd done it before."

"You seem very sure." Geist said. "I do not mean to call your loyalty into question as well, Betos, however-"

"Then let's not." Volk said. "Betos, my Reapers might take you up on that offer."

Betos smiled. "One last thing before we adjourn. What is our goal with this?"

"Goal?" Geist raised a brow.

"Senuna will want more than just accusations." Betos folded her hands. "I must offer her a compromise."

"Why don't you just ask her to fly us out to the haven?" Volk covered his mouth to stifle a belch. "I'd like a vacation."

Betos pondered that. "...That is not a bad proposal, Volk. Geist, if you want to be involved, this is the best way."

Geist sighed loudly. "Senuna will never agree to it...but I can reach the oasis without trouble."

"She will. I will see to it." She assured the men. "When can I expect you, Volk?"

"In five days." He said. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

"And I shall see you both very soon." Geist nodded. "Over?"

"And out." Betos said, and the comm went dead once again.

.

.

Malinalli and Verge sighed in collective relief as they stepped onto open grass, their shoes no longer sinking in the sand. Malinalli gazed around her, smiling at the sight of the quaint and beautiful little hamlet. "Wow." She breathed in amazement. "This place looks ancient."

"It is." Verge said, following her gaze. "Dakhla Oasis, if I recall, has been occupied at least since the days of Nero, and most likely before that. It's ancient name was Set-whe. Or Resting Place."

Malinalli reached out, laying one hand on the stone wall. "I love that. It's withstood so much. And now it stands against ADVENT." She looked back at Verge, who seemed to shrink back at that. "Hey, you aren't ADVENT."

"I wish I could believe that." He sighed. "But I still feel like some sort of traitor..."

"Verge." She sighed. "No one here blames you, especially not here. I highly doubt you have to worry-"

They heard a shriek. "YOU!"

Verge's black eyes went wide as the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps drew closer to them. As he spun around, Malinalli turned and saw the three Chosen dart out from behind one of the stone walls. To her right, a flash of pink crossed her vision, and Verge was practically knocked off his feet. At first, he screamed loud enough to shatter the eardrums of all those in a 10 mile radius, but Gur-Rai jogged up,chuckling. "Verge relax! You know her!"

"I do?!" He struggled out of the snake woman's vice-like grip. "Enlighten me!"

Nazira crossed her arms. "I know I look and sound a bit different now, V5, but after all we've been through?"

He blinked. "...Um?"

She sighed. "N7R42."

He gasped. "No."

"Yes." She gave a little flip of her hair. "I never thought I'd see you again, V5-"

"It's, um…" He cleared his throat." You may call me Verge, it seems to be my new moniker, and it's much easier to remember."

"Oh? I wonder where they got that from."

"Don't ask." Malinalli sighed.

Nazira chuckled and held out her hand to him. "My name is Nazira Ba'al-Peor. My brother goes by Zafar now."

"How long have you been in Dakhla?" Verge asked as he took both her hands in his.

"Only three years. We settled here after our base in Isla Huemul was...consumed in a fiery blaze." She giggled. "It's boring as the void, but I have to admit I like it here~"

"Isla Huemul?" Verge looked confused. "Strange that sounds like…" He trailed off as Nazira turned her attention away from him and onto the only human.

"And who are you, little one?" Nazira looked Malinalli up and down like she was examining a scrumptious treat. She towered over the medic, looking down on her with curious eyes, but before she could take a step closer, Dhar-Mon put himself between the two.

"She is no toy." He scolded. "Be gentle with her."

Nazira scoffed. "I'm not going to _eat _her! What do you take me for, a snake?" She giggled, and only Gur-Rai echoed her amusement.

"I'm Malinalli." She reached out from around Dhar-Mon and shook Nazira's hand. "Corporal Medic on the Avenger."

"A medic." She looked excited. "Well, you must have the best stories."

"Well, that's kinda confidential…" Malinalli chuckled. "But I can tell you about bootcamp…"

"Why don't you tell me indoors?" She beckoned the group along. "The sun is murder on my skin."

.

.

Senuna wasn't new to receiving surprise calls, but even so, they were annoying, especially now that she had to trek all the way back to the Avenger right before she was supposed to discuss the new terms with Zafar. She'd had it all planned out too, and now she'd be late and screw the whole thing up.

As she sat down in her swivel chair though, and turned on the camera, she smiled. "Betos! How are you, darling?"

"I am well." Betos was never one for pleasantries, which was a shame, because Senuna could see a beautiful and radiant woman under that armor. She would have gone far on Broadway.

"So what can I do for you?" Senuna crossed her legs and folded her hands over her knees.

"Geist is aware of the haven you have contacted." Betos said. "He is worried."

"He's always worried." She flipped her hair. "Pay Geist no mind."

"I cannot do that, Commander." Betos said curtly. "They are my friends."

Senuna paused at that. "Hm." She smiled. "You have a big heart, Betos. But we already know that."

Betos looked away. "Commander, Geist and Volk want to examine this haven themselves. They know it houses former ADVENT agents, and want confirmation that the people there will not betray the cause."

Senuna's eyes practically glowed as she smiled. "...They want to come here?" She giggled.

"Yes." Betos nodded.

"...How are the Reapers?" Senuna asked. "I know you don't like to gossip, but I might have a fix to their current predicament."

"The Reapers…" Betos seemed to debate handing that information over. "...The Reapers have been targeted by raids as of late. They are making their way to our camp in Sedona."

"In that case." She leaned forward on the desk. "Tell Volk I have a proposition for him. He and Geist can come check out the haven, _if Volk agrees to stay._"

.

.

"So one time, two of our newest recruits were told to trim the hedges." Malinalli sipped her mint tea. "You know, just busywork. Well, you know how they did that?"

"How?" Nazira asked as she laid back on the mound of soft pillows they had built within Zafar's living room. The two women were lounging on them, while Verge and Kon-Mai sat politely at the table a few feet away. Dhar-Mon was standing with his back to the wall, watching Nazira like a hawk.

"One guy lifted up the lawnmower, and the other reached his hand into the blades. He thought you started it by turning them really fast."

"...Did it work?"

"Oh yeah." Malinalli smiled tautly. "And guess who got to pick the bits of finger out of the bush?" She pointed to herself. "But to be fair, I was new, and that got me over my combat squeamishness."

"I never knew your job was so demanding." Nazira chuckled. "I've been in a doctor's office, of course, but my brother and I were on the receiving end."

"Yeah, the Gene Therapy clinics are pretty cool, I'll admit." Malinalli sighed.

"Not in ADVENT." Nazira quickly said. "No, this was after I left…"

Dhar-Mon and Kon-Mai were distracted as the flap of cloth that Nazira called a door rustled a little bit. Kon-Mai could see Gur-Rai slipping past the group and outside, then stopped and looked at her over his shoulder.

She blinked, and he made a "come on" motion with his head. Debating it only for a moment, she stood, gesturing for her eldest brother to follow her.

"Leaving, darling?" Nazira called.

"Only stepping out for some air." Kon-Mai smiled politely. "Do not let our absence bother you."

"I'm not sure what kind of air you expect to find." Nazira chuckled. "But good luck."

Good luck indeed. The three Chosen met up on the other side of the stone house, the side that overlooked a field of dandelions and led to a path towards the ancient temple, dedicated to three gods.

"I'm sorry." Gur-Rai said as he leaned against the wall. He met their gaze slowly and reluctantly. "About everything I said in the tower. It was wrong, all of it. I shouldn't have been insulting you in the first place."

"Brother." Kon-Mai stepped forward. "You already said-"

"No, Sister." He hissed. "I didn't say it, not correctly. I mean it this time."

"I must do the same." Dhar-Mon's deep, sad voice caught her off guard. "I said things in the heat of anger, yes, but...they were things I still believed, even if they aren't true." He shuffled his feet. "I do not believe you would ever break your vows, Sister, but at the time...I rationalized your death. I assumed you were weak."

That hurt to hear, even in an apology, and Kon-Mai's lip quivered.

"But you are not weak." Dhar-Mon said. "You are the strongest woman I know, that I have the pleasure to know. I am proud that you are my sister." He took her shoulders. "What you did was an act of bravery."

She shook her head. "No." She hissed. "You are right brother. I was scared…" She couldn't stop the tears now, they dripped off her high cheekbones and onto her shirt. "I was scared of what the Elders would do to me. I was scared that they would hurt me, and I…" She hiccuped. "I simply wanted the pain to be over with."

She felt Gur-Rai hug her from behind, as Dhar-Mon pulled her into his arms. For a moment, they just stood there, and Kon-Mai took deep breaths and tried to quell the sobs.

"Brother." Gur-Rai said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't tease you like that."

"It is-"

"It's _not _okay." He buried his face in the small of Kon-Mai's back. "I don't usually do the whole 'respect your elders' bullshit, but you're my big brother. I'm sorry I undermine you all the time. I'm sorry I make you feel less than." He swallowed. "...I love you."

"You do not make me feel less than." Dhar-Mon reached around and massaged his arm. "Gur-Rai, you are my baby brother. We will always poke fun at each other. And I will always love you for exactly who you are."

"I am not exempt from this!" Kon-Mai protested. "I am so sorry to you both. You are both capable, brave warriors. My I should never underestimate you, even when I mean only to tease." She reached back and pulled Gur-Rai up close to her. "...When I drove my blade into my body, my last thoughts were of you."

She heard Dhar-Mon sob quietly and pull her closer.

"I have loved you both since the day I was born." She whispered. "And I will love you both until the day I die."

.

.

"They'll be fine." Nazira chuckled, reading Malinalli's worried expression as she stared at the door. "Those three are thick as thieves. You know that better than I do."

Malinalli nodded. "Yeah...I just worry."

Nazira chuckled. "You doctors. You either worry too much or not enough." She took a drink of her tea and hesitated to speak for a moment. "The doctor who helped me and my brother. She used to be XCOM."

"Hm?" Malinalli looked curious.

"Yes. I was wondering if you know her." Nazira asked. "Dr. Vahlen?"

Malinalli couldn't hide her shudder as Nazira said that. "I know _of _her."

"Oh?" Nazira raised a brow. "Before your time, I suppose."

"Yeah." Malinalli chewed her lip. "She did a lot for the first war, they wouldn't have held out so long without her but…" She sighed. "Reading her research notes is...kind of terrifying. She had a lot of big ideas and it just...seems so detached from the actual goal."

Nazira chuckled. "And what is that 'goal'?"

Malinalli folded her legs under her and stared into her tea. _"Doctor, Do No Harm."_

* * *

(I know it's 11 PM but it's still technically Sunday!

Apologies for the lateness of this chapter, guys, but my brain just didn't want to do any sort of writing last week. And then the week following I developed a sinus headache and that lasted four days! But I managed to power through it, and next chapter will be out as per the regular schedule.)


	32. Forgetting Old Weapons

The wind whipped around the dirt road, stirring up sand and dust as the wheels of the dirtbike cut across the trails. Kon-Mai held up her hands to cover her face as her brother passed by them once again. Her white hair whipped around her in the violent wind: she had released it from it's braids and it was hanging in ringlets today.

Dhar-Mon growled as he picked the sand grains off his tongue. "I do not understand the appeal of this."

"I assume he likes the thrill." Verge said, from his position on Kon-Mai's left hand side. He was standing there with his hands clasped behind his back, at attention like always, but he seemed to be staring longingly at Gur-Rai as he made another lap on the road that ran around the oasis. "The sound of the tires on the road, the wind in his hair-"

"He is bald." Kon-Mai chuckled. "Nazira is not though, and she evidently enjoys that sentiment."

As Gur-Rai's bike came to a slow stop in front of them, the tall woman stepped off and shook out her black hair, giggling the entire time. "That was lovely! I haven't had this much fun in years!"

"I can always be counted on for a good time~" Gur-Rai said with a smirk, a bit of a purr in his voice. "Well? Anyone else up next? Molly, how about you?"

"I'll ride with you when you wear your helmet." She sighed, her arms crossed. "You know if you take a spill and smash your skull open, I don't want to be the one scooping your brains back into your blue head."

"That's what the hood is for." He chuckled, tapping the barely armored cloth. "But fair enough. Verge, how about you?"

Verge blinked. "What about…?"

"Why don't you hop on." Gur-Rai patted the seat behind him, winking as he did. "I would dare to say you've _never _been on a bike like this."

"That is not true…" Verge straightened up and cleared his throat. "I have been on bikes."

"Oh?" Gur-Rai leaned forward on the handlebars. "Then hop on. I mean. If you want~"

"Do I have a choice?" Verge raised a brow.

"If you prefer, I can lift you up on my back and carry you around the track~"

"I doubt you could lift me, but I like the idea." Verge smirked.

"You wound me. I can lift my sister and she's heavy as a truck!"

Kon-Mai hissed.

"Well then, let's see." Verge smirked, certain Gur-Rai would not go through with this threat. That smile disappeared as Gur-Rai jumped off the bike and scooped him up bridal style. Verge let out a yelp, and Nazira cackled.

"Oh come on now, you liked it when Zafar did it~" She winked, and Verge's cheeks seemed to almost glow purple.

"Do not tease him." Kon-Mai said with a barely visible smirk. "The poor thing has only just discovered what emotions are."

"Now now, I think we're all in a similar boat." Nazira reached up to lean on Kon-Mai's shoulder. Even with her own great height, she only came up to just about the Chosen woman's neck.

Malinalli looked up at Dhar-Mon, who was staring after Gur-Rai as he ran off with Verge in his arms, and smiled. "You could probably carry me if you wanted."

Dhar-Mon blushed bright purple. "…I suppose."

"Mm." She clasped her hands in front of her, turning around as footsteps approached them. "Oh, hello Sir."

"There is no need for that." Zafar insisted, his wide mouth growing into a sharp grin. His black hair was pulled back into a ponytail that sat tall at the crown of his head, and his red robes fluttered in the light desert breeze. "Nazira, the Commander wishes to speak to us again."

"Is she finally ready to fork over some soldiers?" Nazira sighed. "I hope she lets you all stay, I've been having so much fun with all my Chosen~"

Kon-Mai sighed. "We are needed for the greater war effort."

"Oh fine, I understand, forget all about little old me." Nazira said it jovially, but there was an edge to her voice.

"I don't know what she's decided." Zafar admitted. "And ultimately we are at her mercy."

"If she wants me to pick up a gun again…" Nazira grumbled as she let go of Kon-Mai. "Well, give Gur-Rai a kiss from me!"

"I will meet you there shortly." Zafar called after her. Turning back to the Chosen, he raised a brow. "I wanted to make a request of all of you…" He said. "It is about my own…abilities."

"Why do you sound hesitant?" Dhar-Mon asked.

"Because those memories are never pleasant to revisit. That time of my life feels completely detached from who I am now." Zafar admitted. "I don't know if I'd even be able to hold a pistol right anymore, and that leaves me at the mercy of XCOM, whatever their whims may be."

"Just use your psionics." Malinalli said.

Zafar chuckled. "I wish I could. But the gift does not embrace me like it does you…humans."

"What of a sword?" Kon-Mai asked. "Have you ever utilized a sword or close range weapon?"

Zafar raised a brow. "I will admit we haven't."

Kon-Mai's face seemed to light up. "Maybe I could teach you. The sword is quite different from the gun."

"I have long wanted to explore more traditional means of human warfare." He chuckled. "And who better than the mistress of blades to teach us?"

Kon-Mai grinned, bearing sharp teeth. "With me you will not just learn to kill. You will learn to dance."

"I shall look forward to our battle, Shrinemaiden." He waved as he disappeared into the sand.

.

.

Senuna plopped down on the pillow, her white cape fluttering behind her as she did. Jane adjusted her rifle in her arms, leaning it against her hip. She didn't intend to use it today, and Bradford didn't even have his drawn, but he did look at Zafar with the slightest bit of distrust. Just like him to assume everything would go wrong.

"I have good news." Senuna said. "The Reapers have graciously stepped up."

Zafar blinked in confusion. "Stepped up to what?"

"They'll be donating their own forces to cover Dakhla." She said. "Their home has been under siege by ADVENT and they need-"

"They _hate_ us!" Nazira stood up from her position at her brother's side, her face pale. "They eat alien meat, don't they?!"

"Yes, but." Senuna held up her hand. "Since allying with the Skirmishers, there has been a considerable drop in that. They mostly eat Chryssalids and Vip-oh." Senuna stopped herself too late.

Nazira looked at her with a mix of horror and fury. "Brother. We can't." She hissed. "They will kill us in our sleep."

Zafar sighed. "I did not expect you to involve the other factions." He said. "We have already had problems with the Templars to the north. If it was the Skirmishers, maybe. But the Reapers are known to harbor ill feelings towards us." He shrugged. "Not that I blame them, per se. But we want safety here, and I think this will provide more unrest."

Bradford stepped forward. "Look, you need soldiers. The Reapers need a new home. Avoiding each other isn't going to make this sentiment go away so you might as well face this head on."

"I would agree." Zafar nodded. "But I also don't want riots breaking out in my village."

"It won't just be Reapers." Jane spoke finally. "About two dozen XCOM recruits will be staying behind, as well as a few Skirmishers. The exact number I don't know."

"I don't want to be stabbed in the back and skinned as a delicacy." Nazira hissed. "And who's to say they won't?!"

"You are allies." Senuna assured her. "Volk is stubborn, but not stupid. He won't attack you on purpose."

"Maybe he won't. But what of his soldiers?" Nazira crossed her arms.

"His soldiers are all quite obedient." Jane said. "Except Elena, but she almost holds a command position herself. And she's married to a Skirmisher. She'd be a good fit here."

That, Zafar seemed to ponder. Nazira still grimaced at the idea, but she held silent.

"What else?" He asked. "There's something more you're thinking of, Commander. I know it."

"We would like to train some of the citizens." She said. "As helpful as our own troops will be, it will be much easier to defend Dakhla if the people here can use a gun."

Nazira turned on her heel and stormed out, and Zafar sighed. "I was afraid you would ask this."

"Why?" Senuna crossed her arms. "Most of the people here are former ADVENT."

"Most of the people here are traumatized by their service." Zafar objected. "My own hands struggle to hold weaponry. Getting them to hold a weapon would be nigh impossible."

"That can't be true for all of them." Jane said. "We're in the middle of a war. They have to fight."

"Do they?" He asked, glaring at her. "Or do you simply expect them to?"

Jane fell silent, where Senuna piped up. "Yes. _We do_."

.

.

Imdugud was tired of not receiving the recognition he deserved for such a taxing job.

It was his job to wrangle in the Sectoids, who had grown unruly with the implementation of human DNA. It was his job to oversee the cloning facilities and to do annual checks on the gene therapy clinics. It was his job to make lists on lists and then make lists of those lists and of course he did it all. Why wouldn't he? _He loved his job_.

But oh did he wish it had more reward. As it was this was no different from his life on Thaumas.

**"That's not true." **Reue said behind him. She could hear his thoughts and she had no problem snooping. **"People do appreciate you here. People actually answer to you. Remember on Thaumas? You took all the blame, it's how you fell in with us to begin with."**

He hated it when she was right. But she was. **"Whatever you need, Reue, it'll have to wait…"** He said, not looking up from the desk he levitated in front of. Before him were spread several thin sheets of paper, and he ran his hand over one of the crisp corners. Stars above, he loved this planet, it's trees and it's paper.** "Do you remember when Bhandasura took us out to the wastes of Korallion? ****Where the crystal trees grew so high they punctured the atmosphere?"**

**"Yes."** Reue said as she came closer.

_**"I hated those trees."**_ He growled. **"Unmoving, unending, barely alive."** He picked up a sheet of paper: it was another list of all the designation numbers of the Sectoids he was reviewing for his mission. Half of them were crossed out. **"Can you feel this? It's soft and real."**

**"It's dead."** Reue deadpanned. **"That's just a flap of dead flesh from a tree."**

**"Yes. But it was _once _alive."** He chuckled and laid it back on the table. **"Now, the names written on it, you could make the argument that they're already dead too."**

**"But they come from us."** She protested. **"I wish you would take care of them-"**

**"So did the Chosen. And look at them."** He scoffed. **"That went _so well_. I swear upon a black hole, if our doctors have to keep diverting resources to Abyzou and her abhorrent obsessions, we'll lose all we've gained over the millennia."**

**"Don't talk about _lau Mordenna_ like that."** Reue hissed.

**"Well, for a moment I forgot how _pathetic _you were."** Imdugud gathered up the papers in his hands. **"This little crush was cute at first, but it's gotten old, Reue."**

"So have you." Reue spat. **"When will your force be assembled? _Lau Madron_ wants to know where his daughter is."**

**"I'm still waiting on Xezbeth and Tiyanak, they said they'll have something ready for me tonight."** He brushed past her. **"…Do you miss home, Reue?"**

Reue didn't answer at first.

**"I hope not. I sure don't."** Imdugud chuckled. **"The universe would be better off without the whole lot, anyway."**

.

.

While the soldiers had, at first, found Dakhla to be new and exciting and exotic, they had quickly grown bored when they discovered that there were less "Viper Hostess Bars" and more "small desert taverns." They had found one that was, quite literally, a hole in the wall, it's sandstone walls keeping the cool air inside to shield them from the unrelenting sun. The ground was covered in sand, and everything had a strange, thin layer of dust coating it like a second skin.

Mithridates didn't look up from his laptop until Tiwaz poked his ribcage, and then he jumped, looking wide-eyed at the older man. "Y-Yeah?"

"Want anything to drink?" Tiwaz asked with a smile. He had discarded his armor in favor of a tank top and shorts that came up far above his thighs. His blonde hair was getting long, now falling in a dirty mop around his eyes and down his neck.

"…No." Mithridates shook his head. "I don't drink."

"Come on, Maruf." Tisiphone practically barked at him, her voice echoing through the cave-like room. "Loosen up a bit."

"It's against my religion." He muttered.

"I didn't know you were religious." Princess chimed in, a smile on her face. "I'm a Presbyterian! What do you practice?"

"The belief that everyone can mind their own fucking business." Mithridates glared at her. "I don't drink, that's that."

"Okay, fine, don't get so anal about it." Tisiphone stood. "I'll come with you. I'm gonna grab a rum and coke."

Tiwaz nodded. "Maruf, you sure you don't want anything? Maybe a soda?"

Mithridates pondered that for just a moment. "…Coke." He finally choked out.

"Can do!" Tiwaz sauntered his way over to the bar, Tisiphone following behind him to the bar. The stone was inscribed with ancient hieroglyphs written all the way back in the days of Egypt, and at first the soldiers had all been enamored with them, until the barkeep told them it was just a recipe for beer.

The woman there was…not what they were used to calling a woman, and Tisiphone paused for a moment, watching the Viper wiping down a glass with a rag and putting it under the sandstone counter. Despite the scales, she seemed to have wrinkles around her red eyes. It sent a shiver up Tisiphone's spine: this alien looked almost human.

"You ok?" Tiwaz took her hand.

"Yeah." She sighed. "…It's just hard sometimes."

"I get you. I think this one is cool though." He smiled.

"How do you know?" Tisiphone raised a brow.

"I like to assume the best in people."

"That's a good way to get killed."

"It worked when I met you."

"Yeah, and I tried to kill you." Tisiphone chuckled, relaxing enough to lean on the bar as the Viper turned towards them. "Rum and coke?"

"Is Pepsi okay?" The Viper hissed.

Tisiphone sighed. "Good to see some things never change."

.

.

Kon-Mai ran her hand along the outside of the temple, barely grazing the centuries old graffiti. Sarapammon, an old god (or perhaps king?) stared down at her, flanked by a baboon and a ram. His full locks of hair, strong back and piercing gaze reminded her of Dhar-Mon. Once, she had seen him make an address to the people of Earth, in the middle of the city center in Ehime. He had announced her presence like he was proclaiming the second coming. In that moment, she had felt special. That moment ended far too soon.

She looked into the darkness of the tiny temple, it's cool air blowing over her slightly sunburnt face, and she took a single step inside before the sound of movement caught her off guard.

"Who's there?" She heard Nazira call from the darkness.

"Only me." It was hard to sound calming with her scraggly voice, but she tried anyway. "I thought you were meeting the Commander."

"I was." Nazira sounded like she wanted to say more, but nothing else followed.

"…May I step inside?" Kon-Mai asked. "The sun is-"

"Yes, sure." More rustling, like the woman was making room for her, and Kon-Mai stepped into the shadows. Like always, they swallowed her, surrounding her like old friends.

Nazira sat cross legged before the tiny alter, which bore the visage of three gods, two men and one woman. Kon-Mai felt her heart drop for a moment before she shook off that fearful feeling. There was no way.

She knelt beside her, sitting back on her heels and closing her eyes for a moment, letting the cool air not just overtake her, but flow through her. For a moment she could see Dakhla as it once was, bustling with ancient humans who spoke a language so like her own and yet not at all. Some of them saw her. Some of them looked like her.

She opened her eyes and looked at Nazira, who was staring up at the wall, inscribed with ancient hieroglyphs. "Did something happen?"

"The Commander doesn't listen." Nazira spat. "I don't want to fight her wars. I just want to live." She reached up and pressed her long fingers into her brow ridge. "I never want to pick up another gun."

Kon-Mai raised a brow. "Never?"

"I am done with that life." She added. "I am no longer that person, quite literally." She gestured to herself. "But she can't see that, can she? It's just like with the Elders. I'm just a tool for them to use."

Kon-Mai didn't know quite what to say. "…I'm sorry." She finally said. "I did not realize this war had such a lasting impact on you."

"It affects all of us differently." Nazira mumbled. "Most people here avoid guns because they feel as though they can't trust themselves with them. I know I can't trust myself not to break and forget all I am now." She shifted, sitting on her hip. "If I pick up another pistol, I worry I'll be no different from before."

"That is a silly fear." Kon-Mai said. "You are you. That should never change."

"_Don_'t." Nazira glared at her, green eyes glowing in the dark. "Do not patronize me."

Kon-Mai shrunk back a hair.

"I suffered endless torment at the hands of the Elders." She held out her palms. "I was never meant to be like this. I was stolen from a home I will never know, mutated to serve their purpose, given a gun and told to kill like a mindless slave. _You of all people should understand-"_

"I'm sorry." Kon-Mai interjected quickly. "I was not thinking of what I said. It's not a silly fear." She took a slow breath. "I only meant, the Elders do not decide who you are. You have already made that decision. I believe you are strong enough to uphold it."

"I hope so." Nazira stood. "But I'm not willing to take that risk."

Suddenly, Kon-Mai's eyes lit up. "Is it only guns?"

Nazira looked confused. "Only guns?"

"Your brother asked earlier if I could train him in swordsmanship." Kon-Mai smiled excitedly. "Perhaps I could do the same for you."

.

.

"Then it is settled." Zafar finally relented, but there was a smile on his face to indicate that this interaction wasn't entirely disturbing to him. "Those who wish to train with XCOM will be given the opportunity I doubt you'll have many takers, but what can I say?" He chuckled.

"And the Reapers will be given a temporary outpost here." Senuna added. "Until they can find a better place to set up shop."

"I think that will be fair enough." Zafar nodded and stood, reaching out to shake Senuna's hand. "What will happen now?"

"Now I must escort our troops to you." She giggled. "It shouldn't take all that long, but we will be gone for a few days. The Templars are making their way over here and will likely arrive before us, so try to be on alert."

"For someone with such power yourself, you seem to be very wary of the Templars."

"That's exactly why I am wary." She winked. "I know what I can do, and I don't trust myself one bit~"

Zafar blinked, looking at Bradford worriedly.

"Don't worry about it." He chuckled. "She's bad at jokes."

"Oh that's wise, _Dadford_~" Senuna glared back at him.

"That's a vintage meme." Jane chuckled. "If we're all done here, I'm going to check in with the other soldiers."

"I heard some of them were checking out that little tavern by the entrance." Bradford tapped his chin. "Was it um…"

"Althae's Ban." Zafar snickered. "Yes, it's a…very interesting place."

Bradford blinked slowly, and Jane looked away to hide her smile as she rushed out. "Um, so yeah, see ya on the ship Bradford."

"Jane-" Bradford reached to stop her, but Senuna waved her hand.

"Let her have fun. She's young." She giggled. "And I trust her to be safe."

"She's an intriguing young lady." Zafar raised a brow as he watched her speed walk down the road. "…Hm."

"Hm?" Senuna chuckled. "I'm afraid you're not her type, Zafar."

"And she's not mine, so don't worry." He crossed his arms. "She's simply familiar, that is all."

"Familiar?" Bradford looked interested. "How so?"

"Her face." Zafar seemed to brush him off. "I'm sure I am imagining it, but she resembles someone my sister and I met long ago."

.

.

Jane pushed aside the colorful curtain, and the smell of brandy hit her in the face. She took a strong whiff, almost expecting to see Bryni somewhere nearby, but alas the red haired pilot was nowhere to be found. Damn.

She did see a few familiar faces though. Princess and Mithridates were in a booth by themselves, and made sure there was no way they'd be mistaken for a couple by throwing pebbles at each other. Tisiphone and Tiwaz were by the stone bar, beside an older looking snake woman. Her scales were a pale sea foam green, and her eyes were crimson. At Jane's entrance, she looked up briefly and scanned the human with a flick of her eyes, then her tongue.

Jane straightened her back and marched over to the bar. "Hello."

"Hi Quiet." Tisiphone grumbled. "Don't mind my attitude, I'm just trying to get drunk."

"What if you need to be alert?" Jane asked. "If there's an ambush?"

"I can shoot while I'm drunk." She snapped. "Better than the boomer here."

"Hey." Tiwaz chuckled, unfazed by her comment. "You always seem grateful for my grenades in the field."

"In the field, yeah. Everywhere else, your explosive personality is annoying."

"Oh fuck you!" Said someone who was not Tiwaz. Princess came stomping over. "He won't let me play solitaire on his computer!"

"You'll ruin my high score, you fucking bitch!" Mithridates snapped, holding his computer against his chest.

"Children." Tisiphone rested her head in her hand. "Please shut the fuck up."

Jane looked up at the barkeep, who was obviously watching but trying not to make it look like she was. She gave her a nervous smile, and the Viper flicked her tongue at her.

"What's your name?" Jane asked.

"You cannot pronounce what my sisters call me." The Viper said in a voice that was scratched and worn. "But the humans here call me Althaea."

"The Healer." Jane nodded. "Fitting."

"I heal minds with my brew." She said, putting a glass in front of Jane. "And bodies in…other ways."

"What kind of bodies?"

"Any that catch my interest." Althaea looked her up and down. "And you certainly do. You've walked along the edge of a blade."

Jane pondered this a moment. "…I suppose I have." She took the glass. It smelled of Absinthe. "So what made you leave ADVENT?"

"Same as all the rest. My chip fell out one day." Althaea grabbed a rag from under the bar, although it was covered in sand already so it did little to clean the stone bar. "I managed to fake it for a while. It wasn't like I was an officer so I could just listen to the vocal commands. But it just ain't right. We vipers aren't meant to be caged." She leaned forward. "I know the names of every planet the Elders conquered."

"Really?" Jane raised a brow. "And you want to tell me yours?"

"It was called Vyraj." She said sadly. "I don't even know if it's still inhabited. Not like it matters. I will never see it again."

"Never say never." Jane reached forward. "When we win, I might take you there."

"When we win." Althaea looked up at her, red eyes meeting hazel. "You are an interesting human."

"I get that a lot." Jane took a long drink of Absinthe. It burned going down her throat. "When do you close?"

"Right now if your friends can behave themselves for an hour." She chuckled, already putting up the "OUT TO LUNCH" sign.

.

.

Imdugud tried to be as quiet as possible as he approached the two, but they seemed to hear him anyway and whirled around, their almost black eyes meeting his pale purple ones.

He let out the breath he was holding. **"I need your reports."** He said. **"I have been waiting days and you haven't responded to me. Have you put more resources into creating the priests like I asked?"**

**"At first we did."** Tiyanak clasped their hands in front of them. **"But then-"**

**"We had an idea."** Xezbeth interrupted their partner. **"A wonderful idea."**

**"I do not pay you to have ideas." **Imdugud snarled.

**"You do not pay us at all, Imdugud. We are equals in rank."**

**"Perhaps here. But on Thaumas-"**

If Tiyanak had a mouth, they would have been smiling. **"But we are not on Thaumas."** They said. **"And I believe that's quite lucky for you."**

**"I can have you executed for this."** Imdugud sighed, knowing he was defeated. **"Xezbeth, for the stars sake, you look like you are about to supernova."**

**"I know you will like what we have made."** They insisted. **"Follow us, Imdugud, and see."**

**"Will it help in capturing the Assassin?"**

**"Yes."** Xezbeth insisted. **"That is why we did this. This will give us the edge against her."**

Imdugud pondered this for a moment, and the two stared at him, Xezbeth twitching excitedly, Tiyanak's eyes burrowing into his soul.

**"Fine then."** Imdugud relented. **"Show me this great project of yours."**

* * *

(Technically it's still Monday! If I don't sleep!

Like I said in my announcement, future chapters may be getting delayed as my county is currently burning to the ground: I live in California, and the giant fire you might have heard about is 10 miles from my own house. I hope to have the next chapter out by Sunday, but thank you all so, so much for being patient with me!)


	33. Acid Bath

(Content warning: This chapter contains descriptions of gore, torture and acid burns.)

Her screams echoed through the dark hallway, bouncing off the concrete walls as two peacekeepers dragged her into the white room by her short chocolate hair. The faceless soldiers did not respond to such cries for help. Whether they could hear her was unknown. She struggled against them, used her broken nails to claw at them, her chipped teeth to bite at them, but they did not even flinch.

Over them, the two Elders watched. This would be the last one they needed.

Tiyanak reached out with their mind, and with their hand, toward their mate. **"She is the final subject."**

**"I wish we could do more."** Xezbeth could be heard to sigh, their bony chest heaving. Their posture was crooked, bent and broken, no fault of their own, but it gave them a degraded and corrupted look.

**"We should be pleased we could do this at all."** Tiyanak took their hand and pulled them forward a bit, toward where they stood as the human girl thrashed, bound to a metal chair. She looked up at the Elders with utter fear in her eyes. Their glowing apparitions consumed the corners of her feeble mind.

Tiyanak reached out with their thoughts, pushed past her enervated barriers and pressed farther and farther into her thoughts. She tried, in vain she tried, but she could not resist them, or their power.

**"You are special."** The words shook her body to it's core. He reached out with dry, half-rotten hands and stroked his knotted thumb over her chin. **"You discovered your power at only four...your mother was finally proud of you...your sisters so jealous…"**

"Let me go, you mummified cunt!" The girl's voice was high and nasally, nothing soothing to the ears, but it commanded a sort of power. Tiyanak was pleased: they knew they had chosen well.

**"You cannot run away from destiny."** they said as they drew their hand away. The human doctors were already filing into the room, towing carts with surgical supplies and vials full of purple liquid.

"Let me go!" The poor girl shrieked as the two Elders withdrew from the room to let the scientists work their magic. She began to plead, then sob, then as the door closed, scream.

.

.

"I've never seen such a blade." Zafar said, as he pulled the dagger from the hilt of Kon-Mai's katana and balanced it in one hand. "We certainly weren't allowed weapons like this."

"It was built by the Elders themselves." Kon-Mai said. "I would have abandoned it long ago, but I have modified it enough to make it my own. Plus...there is nothing quite like it on Earth."

"The blade is almost crystalline…" He flipped it towards himself, the tip pointing toward his own eye.

"Be careful with that. You might poke your eye out." Nazira chimed in as she waltzed into the sandy amphitheater where the former two were training. Hidden from the heat of the desert sun, it stood in the shadow of a large grove of palm trees. The stone steps that used to be able to sit nearly a hundred had crumbled around them, but this ancient Roman site still held some kind of reverence.

"I am glad you came." Kon-Mai nodded to her.

"Sorry I'm late, I wanted to sleep a bit longer." Nazira chuckled and stretched her arm over her head. "What did I miss?"

"We have not yet begun. Your brother was examining my blades."

"I have to say I'm slightly jealous." Zafar admitted. "We could have been using swords this whole time. Maybe they wouldn't have broken constantly like our pistols."

"Kompira was never good at making guns." Nazira dropped her bag beside the pile of stones and pulled her long, black hair back in a ponytail. She was dtressed scantily, her shorts and tank top hugging her slim, nearly scrawny figure.

Kon-Mai turned her eyes back towards Zafar and held out her hand, wordlessly asking for her blade back. He reluctantly placed it in her grip and took hold of the wooden training blade she had brought from the Avenger.

"Now then." Kon-Mai straightened up. "Let me see your stance."

She was almost impressed: Zafar was not as clueless to swords as she once thought. He put slightly too much weight in his knees, but he stayed low and held the sword tightly, but kept his wrist loose.

"Not bad." She nodded, scanning him with her eyes. She picked up her own training blade and took up her stance. "Lunge."

He almost caught her off guard by how fast he was, how nimble. His limbs seemed as though they could stretch beyond their measure. He lunged forward, bringing the blade upward towards her face. Kon-Mai dove backward into a flip and came up on her feet, examining his next move. He, of course, seemed to take the same approach, getting into a crouch and waiting.

"You are quite skilled." Kon-Mai chuckled, meeting his eyes.

"I survived with the Elders for this long." He said, seeming to relax a bit under her praise. "I _had_ to be skilled."

"Then you know to never let your guard down." She darted forward and cut upward towards his face. He jumped back, but the tip of the blade hit his chin, and she saw a bit of green ichor dribble from his mouth.

"Zafar!" Nazira began to rush towards him but he held up his hand, wiping the green blood from his lip.

"You got me." He chuckled. "Good work, _Mordenna_. You really are all they say."

"Thank you." Kon-Mai gave him a toothy grin, similar to the prideful smirk her brother was known for.

"And perhaps flattery _will _get me somewhere!" Zafar snapped as he sprinted forward, crossing the distance between them in a matter of seconds. He brought his blade across, aiming for just under her throat, only to find her gone.

Then he felt the tip of the wooden blade pressed into his back. "Well done." She cooed, her cloak falling away. "But next time, keep your eyes solely on the target. Or else they might just disappear."

"Hey! Going invisible?" Nazira crossed her arms. "That's cheating!"

"Not on the battlefield." Kon-Mai turned to her. "Out there, your enemy does not live by any kind of honor or code."

"You did."

"By my own force of will." She took her blade away from Zafar, letting him move away slightly. "The Elders have no honor, and neither do the soldiers who follow them. They will not adhere to what is just or fair. If given the slightest chance…" She turned to Zafar. "They will kill you."

"Then we must not give them such a chance." He walked over to Nazira, flipped the blade over and handed it to her by the hilt. "Your turn, Sister."

"Normally _I'm_ the beautiful woman beating the shit out of another person." She giggled. "But I suppose I'm up for a switch~."

Kon-Mai took a moment to ponder those words. Had Nazira just called her beautiful? As she ruminated on it, she nearly missed the approaching footsteps.

Nazira was even more flexible than her brother, and Kon-Mai had to duck clumsily to avoid her strike, dropping to the ground and rolling to one side. She hopped up on her feet once again, quickly adjusting her stance as Nazira slid around to her side, hoping to cut underneath her. Kon-Mai blocked the strike, but it almost put her off balance. Nazira fought with fury, and a look of terror in her green eyes.

Kon-Mai had to use her whole weight to shove the woman back, and at that point, she threw her cloak over her body and disappeared into shadow. Nazira stopped then, possibly listening for the Shrinemaiden's steps, but Kon-Mai knew exactly how to place her feet to keep herself from making noise.

Coming up from behind, Kon-Mai dropped her cloak and swiped upward. Nazira managed to dodge, just barely. Kon-Mai was about to praise her but stopped when she noticed the distress in her face.

"Should we break for now?" She said instead. "You look disturbed."

"You drop in and out of sight like a damn Codex." She said with an exasperated laugh. "_Yes_, I'm disturbed."

"Do you want to stop?"

"No…" Nazira adjusted her grip again. "I'm just...getting warmed up."

Kon-Mai took up her stance once again, and this time Nazira held still, like Zafar had, and each one waited for the other to strike. Kon-Mai watched every movement, then closed her eyes and listened. Then she rushed.

Nazira might have meant to bring up her sword, but her hand slipped and the wooden blade dropped from her grip, and instead she took the brunt of the strike with her hand. She cried out, falling back, and immediately the fight screeched to a halt. Zafar jumped forward towards his sister, and Kon-Mai reached down. "Are you alri-"

Nazira let out a furious hiss, her eyes shining with tears, and she flung the palm of her injured hand out to stop Kon-Mai from coming closer. With this action, a spray of green, boiling blood shot out from the wound, over the side of the Shrinemaiden's face.

She screamed, stumbling back, as the blood began to burn.

.

.

"Do we have everything?" Senuna asked, looking around at the ship.

"Half our soldiers are still on shore." Bradford said. "_And _our Chosen. _And _your child."

"We'll be back within a day's time." Senuna replied. "Besides, even if Zafar insists they're being hunted, it's safer here than on the ship."

"If you say so." Bradford tapped over the PDA. "...Jane. We're missing Jane."

"Not missing, she's on a date." Zhang said, hobbling in on his cane. "Told me to tell you to go ahead."

"Well then I think-" Senuna sat down at her desk, and then broke off. "...Where's Pangu?"

"The possum?" Bradford blew a raspberry. "I think Tygan had him…?"

"No, he took him out this morning." Senuna sighed. "Oh, tell me he's not in the vents again."

"Well at least he'll be on the ship." Bradford chuckled. "I haven't heard any scratching."

"What if he hurts himself though?"

Zhang lowered his body onto one of the fluffy cushions. "Senuna, it's just a possum."

"You heartless bastard, he's a friend." She said, only half joking.

"Never had a pet?" Bradford asked, and although it was unclear who he was referring to, Zhang shook his head.

"We had drug sniffing dogs in the Triad. They weren't all that friendly."

"I outlived all of mine." Senuna sighed. "But oh, do I miss my fluffy babies."

"That's not weird." Bradford said. "Animals don't usually live long, especially compared to you."

She smiled at him. "Is my age showing?"

"You have smile lines." He said, tossing the PDA onto her bed. "But other than that, you don't look a day over 20."

"I wish I could say that for you, Bradford." Senuna chuckled. "But your youthful attitude makes up for all the grey."

"I'm flattered." He deadpanned. "If that's all, then let's get a move on Commander. Betos and Volk won't wait forever."

"Volk might." Zhang chuckled. "If he passes out."

.

.

"What do you have in your pocket?"

Gur-Rai didn't open his eyes at first. He just let the heat of the very old, stone bench by the side of the lake seep into his body. The warm desert sun beat down on him and Dhar-Mon, who had joined him for a walk that morning while their sister was busy training the snake siblings.

It wasn't often that the two brothers themselves spent time together without the company of the third Chosen, who had always seemed to stick the trio together like glue. Gur-Rai had to wonder how anything got done before she was born…

"Whatever are you talking about?" Gur-Rai said coyly, knowing all too well what was in his jacket. It wiggled a bit as he spoke, and he felt a fuzzy nose touch his chin.

"You brought the rat out?" Dhar-Mon sighed, looking back out over the lake.

"He needs emotional stimulation." Gur-Rai opened his jacket and plucked Pangu out of his inner pocket. The possum squeaked a bit, then began crawling up his arm. "You ever had a pet, Brother?"

"At my stronghold?" Dhar-Mon shook his head. "Never."

"Why?"

Dhar-Mon gave his little brother a confused look.

"It's a valid question." Gur-Rai shrugged. "Why didn't you ever get one? Do you not like animals?"

"That is not so, I don't mind animals." Dhar-Mon even held out one, giant hand for Pangu to sniff. His palm was almost as big as Pangu's whole body.

"Just never got one as a pet?" Gur-Rai asked as Pangu crawled from his jacket onto Dhar-Mon's hand.

"...In truth?" He let out a great sigh. "The Elders would never have allowed it."

"Bullshit." Gur-Rai scoffed. "They didn't watch us that closely."

"They did not watch you closely." Dhar-Mon sounded forlorn. "But I...was constantly aware of their presence."

"I was too. Could you not tune it out?" Gur-Rai sat up fully.

"No." Dhar-Mon put his hand on Pangu's furry behind as the possum climbed up his shirt to his shoulder. "Their voices were so loud...have you ever had someone whisper directly into your ear? It was as loud as that, and constant."

Gur-Rai wondered if Kon-Mai had the same experience. He, too, had had the constant whisperings of the Elders in his head, on account of the chip, but they had always been somewhat...muted? He was able to drown them out when he was busy with other things. Like when he was on a hunt, focused so tightly on his target that all other stimuli just dropped away. Or when he was at a bar, perhaps in a rowdy city center, where the stench of strong drink and cheap perfume obscured everything else. Or (his favorite) when he was in bed with a lover, and it was just him and the person who he trusted to share his body with. How easily things could get lost in that tussle, how quickly the Elders' orders melted into white noise, covered by moans of titillation, sharp nails clawing at the bed sheets, and lips tracing wet skin. His oath to the Elders would become twisted and warped until he was swearing eternal fealty to his one true love...or whoever was atop him that night.

"...So no pets?" He finally asked.

Dhar-Mon shook his head, his eyes glued to the possum who was now trying to slide down his sleeve. "I was the Elder's greatest champion, given a palace meant to be immaculate...an animal would have tainted that image of myself."

"Truth be told, I always figured they liked Kon-Mai more." Gur-Rai sighed, holding out one arm so Pangu could climb onto him.

"They did." Dhar-Mon admitted.

"Huh?"

"They loved our sister-"

"No, I heard you say it, I just never thought I ever _would_." Gur-Rai pulled his arm into his lap, and Pangu plopped onto the bench.

"It is the truth, there is no reason to deny it." Even as he said that, Gur-Rai saw the twinge of sorrow in his eyes. "The Elders knew from the beginning that I was not enough. They put more into her than either of us."

"Hey, at least you got hair." Gur-Rai chuckled. "...And so did she. Fuck."

"I do not blame her for their favoritism." Dhar-Mon added. "After her failure to eliminate Betos, the Elders punished her in a worse way than they'd ever yet inflicted on me. For a time they talked of...reclaiming her."

That sent a chill up Gur-Rai's back. "...Maybe she was right to take herself out first." He muttered. "If she knew they were already set to kill her."

It was almost like clockwork, then, that they heard a scream, and the two brothers jumped to their feet.

"Was that Kon-Mai's voice?!" Dhar-Mon cried.

"Sounded like it!" Gur-Rai took off down the alley without waiting, and Dhar-Mon raced after him.

.

.

Malinalli was already feeling the stress of operating in a haven. It felt like she was in bootcamp again, and she thought she'd left that place far, far behind.

She hadn't realized so many of the Vipers had taken to starting families in the middle of a war, but she wished they'd given it a lick of thought as she pulled off her bloody gloves and set up the remaining eggs in an incubation tank. "Tell me there aren't more."

"That looks like the last of 'em." Chinonso, her fellow nurse, said in response. She, too, looked weary after their endeavor that morning. "I can sew her up, Molly."

"No, no, let me get on fresh-"

"Absolutely not, you've been working all morning without a break. Go eat something at least." She walked around to the unconscious Viper's oxygen tank and began to taper off the anesthesia. "I've got a watch on her."

"You're sure?" Malinalli didn't want to doubt her colleagues, but she felt so uneasy leaving only one person to clean up this whole mess.

"Malinalli. For God's sake, Tygan doesn't work as hard as you." Chinonso flicked her hands. "Go, shoo, before I call in your _boyfriend_ to come get you~"

Malinalli blushed hard. "My huh?"

"Oh don't you play dumb~" Cinonso began to thread the surgical needle. "We've all seen you and Dhar-Mon making goo goo eyes at each other."

"Dhar-Mon and I are just friends." Malinalli retorted softly, in a way that was not at all convincing.

"Yeah, sure you are." Chinonso looked up and winked. "Keep telling yourself that."

"We are!"

"Well then I'll tell your 'friend' to come throw you over his shoulder and carry you out of here." She gave Malinalli a look that told her, in no uncertain terms, to scram.

She stepped out of the medical tent and into the hot desert sun, pulling her hair down from it's bun. Her scrubs were still covered in blood and fluid, but she just had to take a minute to breathe before-

"Malinalli!" A deep, booming voice called, and her eyes flew open, her body in full panic mode.

"Dhar-Mon?!" She instinctively froze, a chill going through her as she was suddenly surrounded by the smell of blood, by bright blue light, the golden statues, her screaming-

She felt his strong hands on her shoulders. "Malinalli, Kon-Mai has been burned!"

It took her a minute to register that he was there, even though he was standing right in front of her. She reached out, one hand on his chest, just making sure he was real…

And then his word caught up to her. "She is?! By what?"

"Acid to her face!" He bent down. "Are you alright? You look pale. Have I upset you?!"

"No..no I'm fine!." Malinalli went to tie her hair back up. "Lead the way! Wait, no, hold on…" She dashed back into the medical tent and grabbed the nearest medkit.

Chinonso looked up. "Something wrong?"

"Emergency, tell you later!" Malinalli spluttered and darted back outside, following Dhar-Mon as he led her towards the remains of the amphitheater.

.

.

The screams grew louder with every hour. No human being should have been able to break the sound barrier with merely their voice. But the humans had surprised them before, and no doubt they would again.

Tiyanak was so proud of this one. They had not been much involved in the birth of the Chosen, but this was what it must have felt like. This was their daughter. Their pride and joy.

She lay open on the table. Her organs were bare, her heart still beating, struggling but still beating. Underneath her battered ribcage, the scientists were already making the changes needed to her stomach, removing bits of tissue and replacing it with a tube-grown Digerian Gland. Her intestines were spun away, loop by loop, replaced with orb-like structures meant to filter out the "static" and only deliver the purest of psionic energy to her body. Her spleen was cut away, replaced with a Taux filter.

They felt a hand on their arm, warm and slightly damp. **"My love."**

Tiyanak reached out with their other arm and pulled Xezbeth close to them. **"Isn't she lovely?"** They asked their partner. **"Isn't she divine?"**

**"Do you think the others-"** Xezbeth began, but Tiyanak stopped them.

**"It does not matter that they think. Only that they allow us to have her."** They pressed their forehead against Xezbeth's and let out a soothing, psionic humm.

**"Isn't life just beautiful?"**

.

.

Kon-Mai refused to move her hand away from her face. She was somewhat thankful that the left eye had been the one hit by Nazira's defense, at least it was the one that didn't work. But the acidic blood had dripped down her cheek and her lip, cutting a path with it's descent. She could feel bits of skin peeling away, falling off in her hand-

Gur-Rai took her hand and tried to get her to budge. "I need to see it."

"No."

"I need to see how bad it is."

"Don't!" Her voice broke. "Don't look at me!"

"Sister, please." He knelt in front of her and through her blurred vision and tears, she saw his worried face. "Please let me help you."

Almost trusting her better judgement, she began to move…

_**"Look at what you have done!"**_

And her hands flew up to cover her shame once again. A sob escaped her cracked lips. "I do not need help! Just let me be, Gur-Rai!"

"Konnie, don't say that!" Gur-Rai sat beside her, pulling her into his arms, desperate to get her to move. "You're hurt, please _please please_ let me help you."

"Do not look at me! I would rather burn than let my own negligence be _ogled_ by you!"

"Konnie." Gur-Rai sounded so hurt by that.

"You did not earn any such torment." Zafar spoke up, from where he knelt along the stones. "This was not your fault." He looked to his own sister, who stood frozen with a look of overwhelming guilt clouding her face.

Heavy footsteps joined them, and Gur-Rai looked up, sighing in relief. "Fucking took you long enough! Kon-Mai, Malinalli's here. She's gonna fix you up."

Kon-Mai muttered something through her hands, but as Malinalli reached to pull them away from her face, she wrenched away from the nurse's grasp.

"Kon-Mai, I need to see the wound." Malinalli insisted. Dhar-Mon sat on the other side of his sister, rubbing her back.

She looked up, only one eye peeking through her fingers. "No." She hissed. "There is no cure for this." She heaved. "Let me be!"

Malinalli grimaced, her expression uncharacteristically harsh. "I saw you when you were half dead, unconscious on the operating table, intestines hanging on a rack.." She said calmly. "I've seen you at your worst, Konnie, and it wasn't enough to scare me away." She reached out and put a hand on her knee. "You're one of my closest friends. No, not friend: you're my family. And you need to let me help you."

"Sister." Gur-Rai said again. "I hate seeing you like this. You're still my baby sister and I'm _still_ supposed to protect you…"

She peeked at him, one eye watering.

"You have always taken the brunt of the pain." Dhar-Mon added. "To cry is not to show weakness. Let us heal you, and this whole thing will fade into memory."

Kon-Mai seemed to take a shaken breath, and then pulled her finger away and pressed closer to Gur-Rai. "Do not look too long…"

Malinalli got closer, taking her chin in her hands. It really wasn't as bad as Kon-Mai had made it seem: the droplets of acid had cut a small indentation from her eye to her cheek, and the eyelid itself was burnt and crusted, but luckily the eyeball seemed untouched. She must have closed it before the attack.

Malinalli pulled a bottle of water and added a weak powder base, shaking it up. "I'm gonna flush the wound out first. Lean forward a bit for me?"

Gur-Rai shifted so he was holding his sister partially over the sand, and Malinalli worked on cleansing the remaining acid from her face. Kon-Mai winced a bit, but seemed to be holding well.

Finally patting the red wound dry, Malinalli turned to Dhar-Mon. "I'm going to hold the edges of the wound closed, Can you heal her?"

"Almost certainly." He already was gathering purple energy into his hands.

Gur-Rai wrapped an arm around Kon-Mai's shoulder and leaned her onto his chest. She tried to pull away, but his grip was true. "I gotchu Sis." She said softly. "I gotchu."

Dhar-Mon lifted Kon-Mai's head a little. She flinched at the direct sunlight, attempting to pull away, but Dhar-Mon grabbed her hand. "It's only me, Sister. No one else is looking except Molly.".

Malinalli reached up to her face, right under her eye, and began to pinch closed the wound, and Dhar-Mon pressed his fingers to her ragged face.

.

.

She wished she could open the window, but at this altitude? She'd have sucked all the furniture into the sky~

Still, Senuna could pretend that the air conditioning in her quarters was the evening air, and she took a deep breath as she stared out into the orange clouds.

"You know, I think we're going to win this time." She said.

No answer her at first, but then Zhang spoke. "Why?"

"Because." She shrugged.

"Just because?" Zhang chuckled, leaning on his cane. "Oh Sunny, even in a completely alien world, you always stay the same."

She looked back and smiled at him. "...Tell me a story."

"Of what?"

"Of your Triad days." She plopped down on her bed, her white cape fluttering around her. "You hardly ever talk about it."

"Because I regret most of it." Zhang sighed and leaned back. "But I suppose…how much do you know about Hong Kong?"

"It had a strained relationship with China." She replied. "I played a charity show there once. It was so loud and bright and lively…"

"Those lights hid a lot." He admitted. "But let's see. This was from...when I was about 23 or so. Still rather knew, but I'd been around the ropes a few times."

"I don;t think that's how the saying goes."

He ignored her. "I was waiting for a contact by myself by a very old train station."

"How old?"

"I didn't see a train come by once. The tracks were all wooden, which I suppose isn't weird in and of itself, but then the station creaked and groaned with the slightest wind, and I felt as though it was going to come down around me."

Senuna leaned forward, entranced.

"Well, I'm waiting, and waiting, and a good hour passes. My contact has not arrived. So I start to look around. Maybe they got lost."

"Did they?"

"To this day, I don't know." He sat back. "But after a while, I decide to start walking down the tracks, thinking I might find them. I kept walking and eventually, the tracks disappeared into a tunnel."

"Did you go in?"

"Yes, against my better judgement." He chuckled. "Inside the tunnel it was pitch black, I couldn't see the light at the other side. It would have been pointless to keep walking. And yet...once I began I couldn't stop."

Senuna smiled just a hair.

"The tunnel looked empty but I...felt things all around me. I was not alone in there."

"Were you scared?"

"Strangely? No." He stopped, one finger tapping the bulb on his cane. "...I would have felt more scared if I were alone. But whatever these things were, they were not there to hurt me. I was...encircled by them. Protected, even if I couldn't see them.

"Eventually, the tunnel came to an end and let out into a subway station. I took the train back and told the boss our client was a no show."

"What next?" Senuna asked. "Did you ever go back?"

"I tried." He sighed. "But I could never find that train station, or that tunnel, again."

.

.

The agony of existence was all she knew. It began when she was born, when she first heard the whispers of the universe within her feeble mind. It had never been enough to kill her, but it had ached along her brow on and off for years, just sharp enough for her to know something was wrong, but never enough to bring her to the edges of sanity. Instead she lingered in it's empty threshold.

Her mother, a cruel woman, had ignored her pleas for relief. Her little sisters, the favored ones, had hid from her. Her father? God knew where he was. And so in her pain she lashed out. She struck at her sisters. She cursed her mother. But she never lied.

The cycle repeated. Ignorance. Pain. Anger. Lashing. Repeat until the peacekeepers kicked down their door, and they handed her over without a second thought.

At the beginning, all she felt was pain. The doctor's knives, the drills, the lasers, blood, her blood, their blood as she fought back. But then time passed and that pain pushed her so close to the brink, she was left clawing at the edges of her mind, begging to be killed, just to make it stop…

Tiyanak, her parent, her creator, took her chin in their weathered hands and wiped away her tears, meeting her red eyes. **"You are perfect."** They said. **"You are perfect in this pain."**

And with that, she broke. Pushed over the precipice, the drills and knives and blood became her safety, her Elder's hands became her cradle.

Xezbeth themselves lifted her from the table, their hunched back curling around her like a womb. The sweet smell of decay flooded her nostrils and it was glorious.

Her two masters stood over her as they lowered her into the acid bath, into the tube that would strip away the last of her human flaws and reveal her true potential to the world.

**"You are ready."**

.

.

The darkness of the medical tent was a relief from the oppressive sun. Kon-Mai's eye was still slightly burning, but Malinalli had assured her that the acid had all been flushed away, and that the residual feeling was likely her eye trying to clear itself.

She stared into her cup of tea, at the blurry outline of her face. Completely mended, barely a mark on her, perhaps a bit of a faint line on her cheek but nothing noticeable. It was like she was never wounded.

She felt silly. And then she felt bad. She should not have reacted in such a way. It was uncouth, bad form. She had snapped at her brother, and surely alienated their potential allies. Kon-Mai straightened her back and tried to alleviate herself of the idea that her meltdown had lost her the respect of her students.

The tent flap fluttered aside ever so slightly. Speaking of her students, Nazira hesitantly poked her head in. "...You awake in here?"

"Are you inquiring for entry?" Kon-Mai put her tea on the stone table before her. "You may come inside."

Nazira stepped into the shade, her arms hugging her scrawny body. "I came to apologize."

"Apologize…?" Kon-Mai wondered if her expression truly conveyed the confusion she felt.

"I shouldn't have reacted that way and I shouldn't have hurt you." Nazira sat across from her, her legs crossed. "I should've known you weren't going to hurt me."

"You reacted to my attacking you." Kon-Mai shook her head.

"You were training me, I think in that circumstance it was definitely an overreaction."

"Did I not tell you your enemy will not fight fair?" Kon-Mai downed the last of her tea.

Nazira scoffed. "It doesn't matter. I don't think the sword is my thing, honestly."

Kon-Mai's heart dropped. "A shame...you are quite talented."

"You think so?" Nazira shook her head. "No. That's a slippery slope. Besides, I'm more of a lover than a fighter."

"That is perfectly valid." Kon-Mai nodded. "As long as you can defend yourself."

Nazira laughed. "I don't think that will be an issue. If I could do a number on the Chosen Assassin of all people-"

"Shrinemaiden." Kon-Mai corrected her.

"You too, hm? You all really want to rebrand yourselves."

"I want to distance myself from the Elders." Kon-Mai annunciated each word.

"Well, I can't blame you, I did the same thing."

There was a bit of awkward silence between the two, and Kon-Mai took the opportunity to speak.

"I am sorry for my outburst." She said. "It was not fair to you. You should not have had to see me in such a state."

Nazira blinked. "Such a state…? Your face was melting off." She scoffed. "Honestly, I would have screamed too!"

Kon-Mai stared at her lap. "I should have maintained my composure. It was unbecoming of me."

"You can't be serious."

"I am, and I want you to know I am sorry." Kon-Mai met Nazira's eyes (green like her blood). "I hope you can forgive me."

"Absolutely not." Nazira jumped to her feet. "Because there's nothing to forgive! I hurt you, Kon-Mai, and you reacted! That's not losing composure!"

"I am the Shrinemaiden." Kon-Mai felt her own blood boiling. "I have an image I must maintain, a face I must present to the world, and I cannot let it slip. Or I will fail, just like before."

"Fail in what?" Nazira asked her pointedly, and Kon-Mai did not have an answer. Perhaps it was good, then that the tent flap fluttered aside and Gur-Rai poked his head in.

"Have either of you girls seen Pangu?"

.

.

Imdugud did not like following Xezbeth and Tiyanak toward anywhere they were excited to go. Xezbeth had no filter but at least he knew what to expect from them. Tiyanak was almost as cunning as their masters.

They led him down the dark, slick hallways of their personal laboratory. The scientists he did see all avoided his gaze, mulling about as if in a trance. Within the closed doors, he heard various screams of abject horror. It was enough to make even his skin crawl.

Tiyanak pushed open one of the doors. **"See for yourself. She is ready."**

Imdugud looked them in the face. **"I swear upon the stars, if this is a trap-"**

**"No traps. No tricks."** Tiyanak reached out and pushed the door open. **"Dua-Zoar. Please, step forward."** From the darkness, a glowing purple light emerged as the new hybrid stepped into view.

The alien woman wore intricate armor, carved with Etheric runes like the Priests, but her purple eyes were merely covered by a black and purple visor. Atop her head was a red crest sprouting from her skull. Her molted skin was crimson as blood. In one hand she held what appeared to be a modified stun baton, but the edges had been sharpened, and the tip was a deadly point.

Imdugud drifted toward her, and she looked up at him, then past him at her creator.

**"Bow, child."** Tiyanak told her.

Dua-Zoar knelt on one knee.

**"She is the last of the Holy Lancers."** Tiyanak said. **"Our newest creation."**

**"How much did this cost?"** Imdugud grumbled.

Tiyanak was silent, but Xezbeth spoke their mind. **"You see the miracle of life before you, and all you can think to ask is how much we spent?"**

**"Need I remind you two that WE ARE IN DEBT?!"** Imdugud whirled around. **"We do not have time or resources to waste on this frivolous expenditure! You were supposed to make ****_Priests_****!"**

**"Do you honestly expect a Priest could have taken in the Chosen Assassin?" **Tiyanak chuckled. **"You will find that these elite warriors are built to hunt them. They are nearly as powerful, and infinitely more loyal."**

**"Really now?"** Imdugud looked at his papers. **"...How many did you make?"**

**"50 to start. But we can expedite production on more."**

**"No, we're straining resources as it is. But if she's here already..."** He turned back to Dua-Zoar, who stared up at him, her purple eyes cutting into his soul.

**"Will you obey me like your master?"** Imdugud asked.

_***"I am yours to do with as you please."* **_Dua-Zoar said in a voice that bounced off the walls and shattered on his feeble frame.

**"Good."** He reached down and laid a crooked hand on her cheek. **"Might as well make use of what we have."**

* * *

Summary: This chapter begins with Tiyanak and Xezbeth, another pair of married Elders, kidnapping a human woman for use in their experiments. Their goal is to create a servant that is strong enough to take down the Chosen, and still be loyal to them. By the end of the chapter, Imdugud, another Elder, is introduced to Dua-Zoar, a Holy Lancer and the result of the aforementioned experiments.

At the oasis, Kon-Mai begins training Zafar and Nazira in sword fighting. While Zafar does well, accepting his defeat at the hands of the master. Nazira becomes startled and sprays Kon-Mai with acidic blood, wounding her eye. Kon-Mai's brothers hear her screaming, and while Gur-Rai goes to comfort her, Dhar-Mon rushes to get Malinalli. At first, Kon-Mai refuses treatment due to past trauma, however Malinalli eventually gets her to open up, and is able to heal the wound.

(Hello my dudes! Sorry this one is a bit late. Luckily, I had a burst of inspiration in the last couple of days, something I dearly needed. The fires in my county are about halfway contained, so I think the danger of evacuation is over. However, if the next chapter is also late, you can thank my incoming school work lol.

Last thing: I want to thank everyone who has been asking questions on my Tumblr as of late! They're a real blast to answer and you guys come up with the most interesting questions. If you want to ask the characters anything, check out either the dedicated blog, chosenstories or my personal blog, witharsenicsauce .)


	34. All Quiet on the Western Front

(Content Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of gore, minor character death, and trauma)

For a moment, Jane happily lay in her state of half consciousness, reveling in the warmth of the unfamiliar bed. The blankets were surprisingly comfortable for being so rough, and the mat she relaxed upon was soft and warm. She turned over, for a moment entertaining the idea that sleep might return to her.

_"Jx habet los Exletos."_

Jane threw an arm over her head, attempting to drown out the sound of talking but...it caught her attention. While she didn't know the meaning of the words spoken, she knew the voice all too well.

_"Jx habet onx botu, onx erinye, 'n lau lophndia."_ A moment of silence, but Jane could hear gentle murmur in the background. She sat up slowly, as her partner that evening, Althaea, said one more thing. _"Jx deluge."_ She broke off, slamming something metallic down on the desk as she saw Jane was awake. "You're up."

"Calling your side pieces?" Jane chuckled. "Or am I the side piece, and you're calling your wife?"

"You? Sweetheart, you're a diamond in the rough." Althaea slithered back towards her and curled up in the pillows again. Jane scooted closer, trapping Althaea's tail between her legs, and the Viper wrapped her tail around her waist.

"Who were you talking to?" Jane asked.

Althaea was strangely quiet for a moment, and when she spoke there was a bit of hesitation in her voice. "My sisters at another haven."

"Didn't know they had phones."

"If you can build it, you can keep it." Althaea assured her. "And eventually I banged rocks together long enough to make the thing work."

"Hm. Then you're a woman of many talents." Jane chuckled, winking.

Althaea rolled her eyes and straightened up. "I should be charging you for this."

"Okay. How much?"

"I said I _should_." Althaea stuck out her tongue in a long hiss. "Not that I will~"

"Isn't that a bit unfair?" Jane rolled onto her back, eager to drift back off to sleep, but something still felt...off. "What language was that?"

Althaea didn't say anything, just curled her long tail around Jane's waist once again.

.

.

"What do you mean, you lost the rat?!"

"I didn't lose him!" Gur-Rai protested. "I left him on this bench right here!" He pointed to the sunny stone bench, parked right by the oasis' edge.

"And you expected him _not_ to walk off?" Kon-Mai ran a hand through her hair in exasperation. "Gur-Rai! _He's an animal_!"

"I know he is!" He snapped at her. "But he's important to me! God, he's probably really scared right now..."

Her face softened a bit. "He is most likely fine." She said calmly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "He is probably hungry, and went off to catch bugs somewhere."

Gur-Rai, chewing on the nail of his little finger, seemed not to hear her. He was just staring at the empty bench in despair when Dhar-Mon finally spoke up.

"There is plenty of food in this haven..." He said. "I say that is the first place we check."

"I swear if that thing got into the food stores…" Nazira grumbled, picking at her cuticles in a way similar to Gur-Rai when he was nervous. She stood towards the back of the Chosen, isolated at this time. Her own brother was nowhere to be seen.

"The sooner we find him, the sooner we can ensure that is not the case." Kon-Mai said. "Nazira, where is it that you store the supplies?"

Nazira looked around, pointing to a square building that resembled a stone warehouse. "Well over there is where we keep most of the raw materials. Grain that hasn't been made into flour, dried fruits, salted meats, stuff that keeps. There are a couple of refrigeration units in the Generator room but I don't think he could get in there."

"What of farmland? Do you have any fields or gardens?" Dhar-Mon asked.

"Most of it has been harvested already." Nazira shrugged. "But the dandelions are in bloom right now. He might be hunting for bugs in the grass."

"Okay." Kon-Mai stood up tall. "We shall split up, then, cover more ground."

"I shall search the storage units." Dhar-Mon said.

"Wonderful. Gur-Rai." Kon-Mai turned to her brother. "Will you help me search the fields? My eyes are lacking compared to yours."

That seemed to at least shake him from his trance. "Sure thing." He nodded, looking over at Nazira. "You'll be okay?"

"This is _my_ house, Gur-Rai." She giggled. "I'll be fine without you."

He faltered at her words, but Kon-Mai dragged him off quickly. Nazira lifted her hand in a wave, then sighed and turned towards the generator room.

As much as she hated going in there, if this possum was as important to Gur-Rai as it seemed to be, she'd brave it for him.

.

.

"Of all the people I thought I would see again." Zafar looked over his cup of tea, meeting Verge's black eyes. "I'll admit I never expected it would be you."

"And I would have agreed." Verge admitted, a slight smile on his face. "I could barely talk last time we worked together."

"And you certainly wouldn't hear talk of disobeying the Elders." Zafar's gaze turned cold. "You're lucky Nazira forgives you, after what you said to her last time."

"I know." Verge hung his head. "I'll admit that for someone who was supposed to be her comrade, I was...far too spiteful. Aggressive. I did not know how my actions, and my words, hurt her so."

Zafar held the silence for a moment. "She does not seem to hold a grudge." He admitted. "And she is excited that you are here." He put his tea down. "But I need to know, Verge. What changed?"

"Everything. Slowly." Verge said. "Interrogations gone awry. When you're inside someone's head while they're being probed for information, you feel everything…"

Zafar took a deep breath. "That's one thing I never had to suffer." He pinched his own brown skin, smooth and hairless but otherwise so human. "These human 'suits' gave me the illusion of being a man, but I never had to gaze into the mind of one."

"So what you're saying is, you can make a snake into a Thin Man-"

"But you can't get rid of the reptile brain." Zafar smiled. "You get it."

Verge leaned on his hand. "I don't think I've ever read a Viper's mind."

"I'm sure it's not a unique experience." Zafar parted his black hair along the side and tied up half of it. "...How much smarter are humans, anyway?"

"Jealous?"

"No. Curious." Zafar was lying, he stunk of it, but Verge just smiled and did not insist on antagonizing that point.

"Truth be told, actual intelligence isn't exactly what they excel at." He admitted.

"Oh?" Zafar raised a brow. "Emotional intelligence then?"

"Some learn it quickly, but it doesn't come naturally." Verge shrugged. "But that's something they have to practice. What they _do_ excel in is creativity."

"Creativity?"

"Humans have a tendency to jump to conclusions." Verge continued. "And in doing so they are...inspired to try something, even if it might not work. Because to them, if there's a chance it will work, then it _will_ work."

"What if it doesn't work?" Zafar crossed his arms. "Do they not get discouraged?"

"Surprisingly, no. And if they do, not for long. It's as if their brains don't let them rest until a problem is solved." Verge chuckled. "And it's beautiful. Because with it, they're inspired to not just spread their wings, but to glide and dive and reach for the stars. Quite literally."

"They must be careful then." Zafar said. "Overzealousness is what led the Elders to their rapid decline."

Verge almost questioned what Zafar meant by decline, but part of him already knew.

.

.

"Phoibos, Savitr, Calliope, Murillo, Diodor." Prata Mox called out, and the officers stepped forward. "You are to patrol the Western Front, along the established road. _Avoid the sands_." He said with a great amount of emphasis in his voice.

"What if we see something?" Phoibos called out.

Mox seemed to think for a moment. "...Come back and report it immediately. Do not investigate. I do not wish to risk a soldier's capture."

Calliope looked over to Savitr, who seemed lost in thought as he stared into the golden sand. "_Ux ezom_ okay?"

Savitr looked up at her, blinking for a moment before giving her a warm smile and nodding. "Thinking about something, don't mind me."

She smiled, and then looked around. "I bet you can slip away and find her before we leave~"

"Move out!" Mox called, and the five of them began the march toward the Western Front.

"Well, it's too late for that now..." He chuckled, as he and the rest of his platoon began the march down the sandy road.. "And even so…" He trailed off.

"Even so?" She nudged him. "That is no excuse."

He kept silent, his usually sunny disposition strangely overcast. The once well maintained black asphalt had crumbled under years of neglect, and he had to hop the major cracks to avoid tripping.

"Maybe she feels the same way." Calliope insisted. "It never hurts to ask, and after that mission you went on together-"

"I don't want to be presumptuous." He insisted. "She hasn't had the experiences I have, and I don't want to force her into something she isn't ready for."

"You wouldn't be forcing her into anything." Calliope rested her hand on her hip as she walked, the sand in the road crunching under her feet.

Still, Savitr shook his head. "It's not something I feel confident in."

"No one ever does." Calliope giggled. "Don't tell me you're _intimidated_ by her." She thought for a moment. "Actually that's a pretty normal reaction, with that skull face of hers-"

"Hey." Savitr snapped, actually scowling at her. "That's uncalled for."

Calliope shrank back. "...Sorry."

"It's okay." He grumbled. "We're not exactly the apex of beauty, Calliope. Please, take care of what you say…" He blushed a bit. "I happen to like her face very much."

Calliope sighed. "You're hopeless, Savi-" She broke off, craning her neck and covering her eyes with one hand. "Phoibos?!"

Savitr looked up, and saw his brother-in-arms waving to them frantically, pointing to something off the trail.

.

.

It was still surprising to Gur-Rai that within this dry and barren desert, just along the edges of the lake, lay such a fertile and promising land. Of course, such promise didn't hold much hope for him if he couldn't find his lost possum.

As he pushed the brush aside, he looked over his shoulder to his sister, who was kneeling in the weeds, making clicking noises to call Pangu towards her on the off chance that the possum was listening. It had been quite the day for her, and in the late afternoon sun, she turned briefly towards him and he saw the faint outline of the acid burn along her lip.

He watched her work for a moment, then stood up. "Hey. Sister."

"Hm?" She looked up, breaking her concentration for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak but in that moment, she sighed and cut him off. "No. Do not apologize."

"Huh?" He blinked.

"I know what you are about to say: that you are sorry for snapping at me." She smiled. "It seems as though in this heat, we have spent the majority of our time offending one another and then apologizing for it. I shall save you the trouble, Gur-Rai: I forgive you."

Gur-Rai crossed his arms. "I didn't tell you I was sorry, yet. Can't forgive me if I don't."

"Yes I can." She straightened up, brushing the bits of dandelion fluff off her leggings. "Did I not just tell you yesterday I will love you until the day I die?"

He looked away. "...You did."

She approached him and stretched her arms out, beckoning him closer with her hands. "So come on."

He stepped forward, and she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. He waited a moment, then embraced her as well, burying his face in her shoulder. She may have been his little sister, but she had a calming strength in her grasp that made him feel so secure; something he'd never been able to replicate.

"I'm sorry I pointed my gun at you that one time."

"That was nearly six years ago, _'nweghị_." She chuckled and rubbed her hand over his back. "I'd long forgotten about that. And I knew you would never _actually_ shoot me."

"How do you know?" He muttered. "I seem to remember you responding with a knife to my throat."

"How else was I to get you to cease your little games?" She chuckled. "You are very annoying, Brother, but I trust that you would not hurt me on purpose."

"Doesn't mean I won't on accident…"

She pulled away and patted his sunken cheek. "What makes you think you would?"

He sighed. "I don't actually think it, just..." He admitted. "It's more the principle of the matter."

"Principle?" She furrowed her brow.

"Yeah." He went back to wading in the weeds. "I do something to upset you, or accidentally cause you harm, that's pretty similar to shooting you, isn't it?"

"Oh, where is all this coming from?!" Kon-Mai grabbed his arm.

"From trauma." He laughed, but it was dry and humorless and carried hurt with it. "We all have open wounds, Kon-Mai, and I pulled at one of yours this morning."

"Do you mean-" She reached up and touched her lip, where the acid burn scar was still healing.. "...No, no Gur-Rai, you did not. You were trying to help."

"Intention doesn't mean dick. You were still in pain."

"You were right to try and help." She said. "I...have my demons…" She hugged herself, looking down at her body. "I have the remnants of what Abyzou gave me. But that is not for you to try and tiptoe around." She approached him again. "Camazotz left you something similar, did he not?"

Gur-Rai froze. He didn't move a muscle for a long moment, before kneeling in the weeds, pulling away from her grasp. "...The Elders had fucked up ways of showing love." He admitted. "But I don't think Camazotz even liked me."

Kon-Mai sat cross-legged in the grass and pulled him down beside her, holding him silently in her arms, and letting the silence carry forth his words. Her strategy worked, and Gur-Rai kept talking.

"I've fucked up so many relationships, Sister. There's a reason I leave before the sun rises."

She held the silence, waiting for him to continue, but he just pulled away from her embrace and curled his knees up to his chin.

"Maybe Pangu wanted to go."

"No." She pressed her hand to the top of his head, pulling off his hood in the process. "Do not think such things."

"Konnie. How much do you think the Elders care about losing me?" He looked her in the eye. "I was just their punching bag, anyway. How many of my exes do you think cared enough to actually stay in contact? Even Nazira disappeared; she straight up left ADVENT territory all together."

"That did not have to do with you." Kon-Mai assured him. "I am sure she had her reasons."

"She did but…" He sat back. "What if one of those was me?"

"You stop this right now!" Kon-Mai stood. "You matter, Brother, to many people. You matter to me. Did you forget that_ I demanded _XCOM spare you?! If I truly held a grudge, would I not have let you die?"

He thought about that for a moment. "...I suppose."

"Suppose nothing, for it is the truth." She held out her hand to him. "Stand now, my brother, for we are bound in blood, and when I say I love you, I mean it."

He looked up at her hand, and slowly reached up, his fingers curling around her wrist.

.

.

The generator room was always cold, and Nazira _hated_ the cold.

Part of what she loved so much about her darling Gur-Rai was that he was always hot. Not in looks, although that was certainly true, too. His natural temperature sat a good three degrees higher than a human man's, making his body infinitely warmer than hers. She did not know the cause of it (the Elders had always seemed so cold to her), but either way, she wished she had a bit of that touch now.

She tried to contain her shiver as she stepped into that dark, cold room. Shaking her head to rid it of the fog that was quickly covering her thoughts, she looked around. "Pangu?"

There was no answer, so she blew a short whistle through her teeth and clapped. "Here, little possum!"

All Nazira heard was the chattering of her own teeth. If he _was_ in here, chances are he was probably frozen dead by now. She hoped not; the idea of taking his little pet's freeze dried corpse back to her lover did not make her excited in the least.

She looked back at the semi-open door to the room and wondered if she should just leave, but something compelled her deeper into the metal maze.

There was a shuffling noise nearby, and Nazira turned her head hopefully, the action suddenly making her lightheaded and dizzy. She stumbled a bit, and as she reached down to steady herself, the sleeve of her suit pulled up, revealing her cuffs.

She froze, eyes half closed, the room around her now stark white. People in lab coats swarmed her and suddenly, before her eyes, Vox Camazotz's acidic gaze cut into her very bones. She heard screaming, but though she could feel her mouth open and her vocal cords vibrate, it was detached from her, as though someone was screaming for her.

**_"I like this much better."_** He reached one gnarled hand towards her. **_"Much, much better."_**

Nazira shoved the heavy metal door open with her shoulder and sprinted back out into the sun.

.

.

Savitr followed Calliope as she sprinted down the road after Phoibos, who had taken off into the dunes and disappeared behind a wall of sand. He called out to her, but she was so far ahead of him at this point that she either couldn't hear him, or pretended not to.

"Calliope!" He shouted again. "Wait! We shouldn't go into the sand!"

His sister-in-arms turned to him, indicating she had heard this time, but she just gave him a look of excitement and gestured for him to follow.

Savitr hung back slightly as she climbed a dune and disappeared over the ridge. The only human in the group, Murillo, stood beside him, hands clasped and thumbs twiddling.

"What did Phoibos see?" Savitr turned to him.

Murillo shook his head. "We saw a great purple flash over the dunes. Phoibos wanted to investigate."

Savitr grimaced and gathered a cloud of psionic energy at his fingertips. "Stay here."

"Wait!" Murillo called after him. "Don't you go, too!"

"I'm not going to cross the dune." Savitr tried to assure him by offering a smile. "I'm just going to see if everyone's alright."

There was a whizzing scream as something flew past his head and landed in the sand beside them. Savitr acted on instinct, grabbing Murillo and throwing up a stasis shield as the grenade exploded, sending them both flying into the dunes and cracking the damaged road even more.

Murillo lay moaning in the sand, and Savitr stumbled to his feet, ignoring the pain from his own injuries. He scanned the area, trying to locate where the grenade had come from, before he heard Calliope scream.

.

.

Nazira took a deep breath, trying to shake the last shiver from her body, and pushed aside the door flap, stretching as she walked inside. "Good afternoon, boys~"

Her brother and old friend looked up from their tea at the sound of her arrival. Verge seemed to shift uncomfortably at her comment, but relaxed as she plopped down on the cushions beside him.

"Finally decided we were worth your time?" Zafar chuckled. "I expected you to be all over Gur-Rai."

"He's looking for his possum." She sighed. "It waddled off while he was busy fawning over Kon-Mai this morning. I swear, he loves that animal more than he loves me." She laughed.

Verge set his empty teacup down, and Zafar stood up to refill it at the kettle that was now whistling on the stove. "Why do you say that?" The Sectoid inquired.

Nazira blinked. "Oh...it was a joke." She chuckled. "I know he doesn't really, it's just a bit silly to get all worked up over." She wrapped her arm around his neck. "You're awfully nosy for someone with no nose~"

Verge nodded. "I'm...just not really clear on the status of your relationship, is he-"

"Are you jealous?" Nazira giggled. "I don't blame you~"

"No!" Verge's pale pink skin turned orange with blush. "I just...I'm just curious."

"I'm sure. And fair enough, I am too." She took the teacup that her brother handed to her. "Black Cranberry?"

"Lots of sugar, no cream, just how you like it." Zafar handed the other cup back to Verge and sat down.

Nazira smiled warmly and stared into her cup. "Well, to answer your question Verge, I suppose he's technically my ex-boyfriend." She sighed. "But as you have seen, the 'ex' part can be left up to interpretation."

"Did you end on bad terms?" Verge asked.

"Not exactly." Nazira stuck her pinky into her tea and swirled it a bit. "It was just something that was a long time coming."

Verge looked at Zafar, who was leaning on his hand, his long nail tapping his temple.

"I didn't want to be part of ADVENT anymore." Nazira shook her head. "No, maybe that's wrong. I _couldn't_ be part of ADVENT anymore. I couldn't stand living my life as something I was not." She put her cup down. "I don't think I'll ever be able to touch a suit again, and not to mention a plasma gun..."

Verge slid his hand across the table. "I didn't know why you left. I do not think anybody did."

"I kept it very quiet." She said. "I just couldn't do that anymore. And in the end, I had to make a choice between my love for Gur-Rai and my love for myself. And I couldn't love him when I wasn't even...me." She looked past them, staring into nothingness. "I wanted him to come with me but...he wouldn't. Even after everything the Elders did, he still hoped beyond hope that one day, they might love him. Just a little."

"Perhaps we all hoped for that." Zafar cut in. "Just a little."

"Not me." Nazira sneered. "They lost my love when they meddled in my genes, made me into something that only suited them."

Verge stared at his hand on the table, his fingers long and clawed, but his skin pink instead of grey like his predecessors. He stood tall in comparison to the Sectoids that came before him. His heart was very nearly human itself.

Zafar looked up at Verge, who met his gaze with his own black eyes. "I, um…"

"It's alright to be confused." Zafar assured him. "It is a curse many ADVENT escapees bear. There is much I still need to decide for myself as well, but I cannot be burdened with those thoughts now." He sighed. "Not when our people-"

"Our people are ex-ADVENT." Nazira said. "If push comes to shove, many can fight. You spend so much time worrying about them, Zafar, I think you forget that."

"Can they fight like you?" He raised a brow. "I am not trying to insult you, Sister. But many are scarred from their time under the Elders' thumbs, just like yourself. And we saw the effects of that this morning."

"I have to agree with Nazira, actually…" Verge cut in. "I know you want to, but you can't protect your people if you're running yourself ragged."

Zafar rolled his eyes. "I am not ragged, Verge."

"You yourself admit you barely sleep at night."

It was then that Zafar stood and took a deep breath. "Speaking of our people, I need to consult Althaea about the grain stores. She wanted a portion to turn into beer."

"You're avoiding the situation!" Nazira called after her brother as he disappeared out the door. "Damn him."

Verge chuckled. "I almost wish I had a sibling like that."

"Oh what are you talking about?" Nazira put an arm around his shoulder once again, squeezing him close. "You have me."

.

.

"Do not go off the path" should have been a simple instruction. But considering that the remains of the path were now lying in shards throughout the sand, Savitr figured Mox would probably forgive him for this.

He clenched his fingers as he pulled a shield of energy from the air around him, deflecting the rain of bullets from the trooper that stood before. The distorted voice of his brethren shouted for him to stand down, but Savitr responded by condensing his shield into a beam that cut through the armor of his foe and sent him flying back into the sand.

Murillo was still in the dirt, groaning from the injuries he'd sustained from the grenade, and it was now a choice: get Murillo to safety, or cross the ridge and gather what was left of his brothers and sisters.

He looked back at his fallen compatriot, and that short hesitation left him open for what happened next.

A black shadow darted out from behind the dunes, wielding a weapon that was glowing purple. Savitr barely managed to duck under it, and even then it struck him along his brow, shattering something and leaving a long gash. He fell into the sand and rolled away, getting back to his feet and raising a shield just as the purple lance came down again. His shield bent noticeably, and the purple sparks erupting from the contact sent shivers down his spine.

He looked into the eyes of his adversary and saw a foe he barely recognized: a crested woman with skin burnt red, her eyes glowing with psionic power, her face carved with shimmering runes. As she pushed forward and he fell back, he felt her own energy lancing into his, and with horror he realized _she was so much more powerful than he was_.

There was the sound of audible gunfire, and suddenly the pressure lifted. Savitr stumbled back, the hybrid woman turning from him towards where Diodor stood, rifle in hand. The bullet wounds in the woman's back leaked dark blue, nearly black ichor that sizzled as it dripped onto the sand.

Savitr drew his own pistol and cocked it, but as soon as he pointed it toward her head she had already vanished from his immediate view. He glanced around frantically, and with a spark of fear he noticed Murrillo was gone.

Diordor began limping across the sand, and Savitr approached the younger hybrid and took him by the shoulders. "What happened?" He demanded.

Diodor shook his head, mouthing words, but his voice seemed to fail him.

"Calm down." Savitr said coolly. "What happened? What's out there?"

"So many…" Diodor threw himself into Savitr's embrace. "There were too many! I think Phoibos is dead!"

Savitr looked around, still wary as he tried to search for the woman, and any sign of Murillo. "Where is he? Where are the others?"

Diodor clung to him closer, and Savitr felt the younger man's tears fall on his own armor. He hated to push him away, but they were very much in danger. He gently shoved him back, helping him down onto his knees on the sand before stood up again.

Closing his eyes, Savitr reached out with his mind, feeling for any signs of life. And a sign of life was what he got: in fact the feedback of energy was so incredible that he nearly seized right there, but taking a deep breath, he pushed past it's intense waves of light and heat.

There were at least two signatures he could feel, one he recognized as Calliope, and the other much stronger and stinking of rot. He focused on Calliope, trying to call out to her, and that was when the lance buried itself in his shoulder.

The connection severed immediately, and he tore away from the weapon, the hybrid woman standing dumbfounded behind him. Diodor had fallen in a puddle of his own blood, and with the fading of his life, Savitr saw red.

He lifted his hands, energy pulsing in his grasp, but as he was about to release it all, blowing up this woman and himself in a final act of retribution, she sheathed her sword.

_*"Your sister is safe for now."_* She said in Etheric that was even smoother than his. _*"It is not you I want. Return to your village. Tell them what is coming."*_

_*"...And what is coming?"*_ He growled. _*"Who are you?"*_

_*"I am an instrument of justice."*_ She said as she stepped backwards into the sand. _*"We are coming. Be ready."*_

_*"No."*_ He hissed, his shoulder throbbing. _*"Stand and fight me."*_

_*"I have no time for such tomfoolery."*_ Her voice was cool and emotionless, and her eyes were nearly empty. _*"You are not what I seek. There is only one I need."*_

Before he could stand to say another word, the woman jumped backwards into the dunes and disappeared.

.

.

Zafar arrived at the door of Althae's Ban just as Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai stepped up to the door. The former bowed in greeting and he returned it, bowing lower than she had in respect to his "teacher."

"You would not have happened to see a possum anywhere?" Was the first thing out of Kon-Mai's mouth.

"No, I haven't." He chuckled. "Nazira informed me you were looking for it. Any luck?"

"Nope." Gur-Rai sighed, looking downtrodden, but he picked up a bit as Kon-Mai put her hand on his back.

"We've decided to take a break from the heat. A drink, something clear our heads."

"In that case." Zafar held open the door for her. "After you, my lady."

Kon-Mai rolled her eyes but stepped inside, pulling her brother along with her. They stopped to dust the sand off their shoes before stepping onto the freshly swept floor, while Althaea the Viper stared at them with watchful eyes.

"Well, I was wondering when the famed Chosen would show up." She grabbed two glasses and poured two drinks stinking of alcohol in preparation for them. Kon-Mai seemed to grimace at the sight of it as she sat down, but she took a sip anyway. Gur-Rai chugged half of his right then and there.

"Well, you two haven't changed." Althaea chuckled, looking across the bar briefly as Jane emerged from the back.

"So that's where you took off to!" Gur-Rai grinned happily and beckoned the ranger over. "Thought you'd left with the Commander."

"I may be one of her many hands." Jane said, leaning against the bar beside the two of them. "But I still like to relax from time to time. And Althaea is _very_ relaxing."

"Nice~" Gur-Rai nodded, turning back to the Viper woman "Hey, you didn't happen to see a possum, did you?"

Althaea raised a brow. "A what?"

"It resembles a large rat." Kon-Mai said.

"We get rats every now and again." Althaea admitted, looking behind her towards the back rooms. "Do they eat rats?"

"They eat scraps." Gur-Rai said. "Mostly he'll eat whatever's in front of him, if it's edible."

"Oh that's just great. Really, that's what I need." Althaea threw her rag down onto the counter." Nobody touch the bar. I'll be back."

"I can look for you." Jane said, beginning to stand up.

"No!" Althaea snapped, so harshly that Jane froze in her tracks. Even Zafar seemed startled by the snake's outburst.

"Why?" Jane asked as she sat back down. "I've been in there all morning."

"I...have a way I like things organized." Althaea said quickly, slithering to the back. "Don't touch the bar!" She slipped behind the curtain, disappearing into the stone walls again.

"Okay…" Jane sighed, slumping into a seat with her head in her hands. "There I go again, falling for emotionally unavailable women."

"I'll drink to that." Gur-Rai tapped his glass to Jane's.

Kon-Mai stood from her own seat and picked up her glass, watching the brown liquid slosh around in the cup. "Does anyone want this?" She asked. "I cannot stand the taste."

"You can pour it out." Zafar assured her. "I won't tell Althaea."

"I do not want to be wasteful." She protested.

"We have more alcohol than we know what to do with." Zafar chuckled. "In fact we may have a bit too much; we were supposed to start repairs on the roads a week ago, I'll give you one guess where all the workers are." He turned around to the group of human men in the corner table. "Isn't that right, Ali?"

"We're on break!" The man responded, his comrades raising their voices in agreement. "I'll take that drink though!"

"On second thought." Kon-Mai walked around behind the bar, looking around. "Is there a sink?"

"No running water." Zafar said. "But I believe there's a bucket under the bar that Althaea dumps poorly mixed drinks into."

"Oh, here-" Kon-Mai reached for the blue bucket and hauled it from the cubby, noting that it was heavy for only containing liquids. "Does she pour out this much?" As she dumped her drink into the bucket, something squealed.

Gur-Rai jumped up. "What the hell?!"

"Indeed!" Kon-Mai exclaimed, reaching into the slop of discarded alcohol and pulling out a thoroughly soaked Pangu, who blinked at them in confusion. "What on _EARTH_ were you doing in there, little one?!"

Gur-Rai ran around the counter. "That's where you were?!" He shook his head, taking Pangu from his sister and hugging him, not minding the foul smelling cocktail soaking his clothes. "_Deglu ux_, you lil scamp!"

Kon-Mai shook her head. "We have been looking for you all day!" She lifted a finger and scratched Pangu on the top of his head. The possum seemed to barely register it. "And now you are drunk, you little rascal! I hope you are proud of yourself!"

"Alcohol won't hurt him, will it?" Gur-Rai kissed the top of Pangu's head, then spat on the ground. "That's nasty. You need a bath, lil guy."

Zafar laughed, his grin shining in the low light. "And they all lived happily ever after."

.

.

Dhar-Mon stepped out into the heat once again, sighing in disappointment. His brother's beloved pet was nowhere to be found, and it brought him great worry to think of how young Gur-Rai would take losing the animal.

He drew a small line in the sand with his foot, staring aimlessly into the shimmering distance. Staying completely still for a moment, lost in his own thoughts, he only moved his head slightly when he noticed a black, humanoid shape cut through the mirage in the distance. For a moment, Dhar-Mon kept his eyes trained on it, still not moving as he watched it draw closer. It was only when he recognized the black lumps as Skirmisher armor that he snapped from his trance and began to step forward.

The Skirmisher limped towards him, and as he got closer, Dhar-Mon recognized his face, albeit vaguely. "Savitr?" He called, waving him over. "Savitr Vallinor!"

Savitr looked up, his eyes wide, and began to drag himself towards the Hieromonk faster. His progress was slow and his gait was uneven, and Dhar-Mon rushed out into the heat of the sand, meeting the Skirmisher halfway. "What has happened?!" He cried, as he came face to face with the man's extensive injuries.

The worst wound was in Savitr's left shoulder, a gash through which he could see meat and muscle and veins sticking through the armor. But as he stepped closer, hands raised and ready to heal him, he noticed his entire body was riddled with deep cuts and burnt shrapnel.

"We were ambushed." Savitr said, pushing Dhar-Mon's hands away. "No, not now, there is no time. Where's Zafar?!"

"I do not know." Dhar-Mon admitted. "You must be healed-"

"No time." Savitr coughed. "Will you help me find him? I can hardly walk!"

"Of course." Savitr may have expected Dhar-Mon to simply help him stand, but the Hieromonk scooped up the smaller man into his arms. "He rarely ever leaves his home residence, let us check there."

"Go, please." Savitr was breathless. "We have no time."

.

.

This time, Kon-Mai held the door open for Zafar and her now alcohol-soaked brother. "Age before beauty."

Zafar grumbled and Gur-Rai snickered as he stepped inside, into the cool air of the stone home. Nazira got to her feet, a smile on her face. "You found him!"

"Yep!" Gur-Rai chuckled. "He was getting drunk off of the wasted alcohol. I think I've been a bad influence on him."

"So, you could say he was wasted on waste..." Verge quipped, which earned a snicker from the Darkstrider and a sigh from the Shrinemaiden.

"If you are comfortable here, Gur-Rai, I shall go locate our eldest brother." Kon-Mai folded her hands in front of her. "No sense in leaving him in the heat of the blazing sun, when we have already accomplished our mission."

"You sure you want to be out there?" Nazira asked. "You're supposed to keep your burn out of the heat, right?"

"I have been inside for a while." Kon-Mai assured her. "A bit of sunlight will not hurt me." She turned around, reaching for the tapestry just as it flew aside, and in stepped Dhar-Mon with a very bloody Savitr cradled in his arms.

Kon-Mai looked between the two in horror. "_Nalla itzar_…" She helped Savitr down from Dhar-Mon's arms and led him towards the loveseat. "What has happened here?!"

"We were ambushed…" Savitr coughed, his skin pale and his voice weak. "On the Western Front, about 3 miles down the pre-war road…"

"Ambushed by what?" Zafar demanded, stepping around the table. "Ambushed by WHAT?!"

"ADVENT." Savitr choked out, blood on his lips. "They were led by a hybrid I've never seen before: a woman with a crested head and red skin...her power was almost as great as the Wa-_as Dhar-Mon's_." Savitr corrected himself quickly, his voice faltering. "She killed my entire platoon, except for one. I believe she's captured…" He pressed a hand to his injured shoulder just as Kon-Mai was reaching up to peel the torn Kevlar away from the wound.

Zavar went pale, stumbling back into the table. "We have no defenses. Barely any weapons. We can't...we can't defend ourselves."

"Then we run." Nazira said quickly. "We hide in the mountains! There are caves in there"

"We can't move everyone that quickly!" He snapped. "It will take an hour at least to round everyone up! Half a day to get to the mountains!"

"Then just get on the intercom and tell everyone to scram!" Gur-Rai leaned forward, urgency in his voice. "At least give them a running start!"

"And let them run headfirst into the enemy, like cows to a slaughter." Kon-Mai growled. "No, that is no solution. We ourselves have weapons, do we not? Let us stand and fight!"

"I'm going to make myself useful." Verge stood. "I'm radioing the Avenger. Maybe they're close enough that they can turn around."

"What if they don't have enough soldiers?" Zafar asked. "We don't know how many troops ADVENT brought."

"It's our best option." Verge said. "If anyone can help us, it's them."

"Place a call to the Templars…" Savitr winced as Dhar-Mon pushed the edges of his wound together to expedite the healing. "They're nearer to us than the Avenger, with any luck they may already be on their way."

"In the meanwhile." Kon-Mai stood and pulled her sword off her back. "Gur-Rai, get your armor on and follow me."

He nodded, not daring to argue with his sister, and handed Pangu to Savitr. "Watch this one for me."

"You can't." Savitr reached out, grabbing Kon-Mai's hand weakly. "It...She's powerful. Too powerful."

"I am the child of gods." She curled her lip at his words. "Do not underestimate me."

"I'll try not to…" He pulled away. "Just do not die."

"Rest, my friend." She nodded. "I do not intend to die this day." She turned as Gur-Rai clipped on the rest of his armor and pulled his gun off his back.

"Let's move."

.

.

The west road was empty, but Kon-Mai could see in the distance the remnants of a battle. From within the fading heat lines and the vaporous mirage, pieces of armor and abandoned bodies lay like heaps of trash in the sand, discarded and forgotten.

Her brother knelt low on the roof they stood upon, his sniper rifle trained in the direction of the bodies, where vultures were already circling.

"How much do you wanna bet it was just pirates?" He muttered.

"Did you see the wound?" Kon-Mai closed her eyes, keeping her ears trained on the sounds around her, waiting for any signs of movement. "That kind of gash _had_ to be made with a sword."

"Pirates can use swords." Gur-Rai scoffed in response, learning forward a bit. "...Hey. What do you hear, Sister?"

"You, currently."

"No, listen closer." He hissed. "I see something."

Kon-Mai lifted her chin and closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the oasis carry on the breeze towards her, and in that moment, an ear-splitting boom rocked the very foundation they stood on.

As Kon-Mai stumbled, in her peripheral vision she saw a great flash of purple light. The sky suddenly went dark, deep black clouds circling the small village, and Gur-Rai dove to the ground and grabbed her, holding her under him.

"What are you doing?!" She tried to shove him off of her.

_"Keep down!"_ He hissed, but the crackling noise was so loud that he had to nearly scream.

"What is that?!" She struggled under him. "Let me up!"

"No!" He shifted, and for a moment she saw intense terror in his eyes. "Do _not_ go up there! Konnie!"

Kon-Mai wrenched herself away for just a moment, long enough to sit up and gaze directly into the violet portal that had opened outside of the Dakhla Oasis. Dark-clad psionic warriors, the likes of which she had never seen, poured from it's murky mouth onto the sand, lances drawn and weapons ready.

Right before her brother grabbed her hand once again, a tall grey figure emerged into the light, it's four arms raised as it called upon the kind of power only a god could use.

**"Humans and Traitors."** Vox Imdugud's voice cut its way into her very soul. **"We know who hides among you. Return unto us the Chosen, and no harm will come to you. Refuse, and you shall die."**

* * *

Summary: The chapter begins with Jane waking up in Althaea the Viper's bedroom, where she hears her speaking in a language she doesn't recognize to someone on the phone. When asked about it, Althaea says she is speaking to her sisters, but avoids any further questions. Outside, the Chosen and Nazira begin a search for Pangu the Possum, who wandered off when Gur-Rai left to check on his sister. The group splits up to cover more ground, searching in the places where food is commonly stored. Nazira searches the generator room and has a flashback to her days in ADVENT, and as Kon-Mai helps her brother search, he confesses to her he feels guilty about how he treated her before. Outside of the oasis, Savitr and his brothers and sisters-in-arms are sent to patrol the western front.

Nazira, after abandoning the search, returns home and talks to Verge and Zafar about their days in ADVENT. Upon the other two questioning him about his health, Zafar leaves and goes to the bar, where he meets up with Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai, who have taken a break from the search. It is here they finally find Pangu, hiding in the bucket of wasted alcohol.

Savitr and his party are attacked by a mysterious hybrid woman, unlike any he has ever seen and with incredible psionic power. The woman, seen previously as Dua-Zoar, kills all of his friends except one, and tells Savitr to warn the village of an upcoming attack. As Savitr returns, Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai go out to meet their assailants, upon which a great psionic portal opens, and Vox Imdugud emerges, demanding the Chosen reveal themselves.

(We're in the thick of it now, pals! Next two chapters or so will be the big fight! We're almost at the end of what I like to consider "season 1″ of Chosen Stories, and I really hope you enjoyed!)


	35. The Siege of Dakhla

**(Content warning: this chapter contains detailed descriptions of torture, gun violence, blood and character death)**

The glaring orange sun gazed over the canyon, turning it's eye upon the black-clad figures as they made their way down the sandy pathway. None of them dared to remove their hoods or armor, despite the brazen heat. Almost all of them were dragging at this point, their bodies weary from lack of sleep and days of traveling. As the last glimmer of sunlight disappeared from the sky, and the red began to shift into a dark purple, one of the Reapers looked up towards the skyline and gasped in delight. "It's there!"

Volk, who was leading the pack down this desert trail, raised his head and smiled when he saw the collection of metal buildings and tents in the distance. He stopped, holding up his hand, and turned to the Reapers. "Company halt!"

The Reapers stopped in their tracks, looking up to him like children.

Volk crossed his arms. "Remember, this isn't our home yet. We're guests, and that means you show the Skirmishers respect. Don't take anything without asking, don't break anything, and don't kill anyone. I know the Reapers and Skirmishers haven't always been friendly, but if you need any incentive to be polite, I'll be telling Elena everything that happens here when we see her again. Everything."

A few people snickered. Most nodded in cold, solemn agreement.

"Very good." He turned back toward the town and waved his hand for the Reapers to follow him again. "I know it ain't home, but it's something."

As they drew closer, and the gateway to the little valley village became clear, he saw a familiar, wrinkly face at the gate. He waved to her, and she waved back hesitantly. It was just her out there, welcoming the whole crew. She had a shy smile on her face and Volk had to hand it to Betos: she could be a sweetheart.

"Greetings, Reapers." She called out as his people drew close. "The Skirmishers welcome you to our home. It is not much, but it is everything we have, and what is ours is yours."

Volk stepped up and held his hand out to her. "I know I give you shit..." He said as she took his hand in a firm shake. "But thank you. Dear god, thank you. I'll never be able to-"

"Do not worry yourself with repaying kindness." Betos nodded. "We are already family."

"I guess that's technically true." He chuckled. "Wish the happy couple was here to see this…"

The Reapers trickled past them into the camp, looking around suspiciously as they stepped across the sandy ground. From the sidelines, within the doorways of their homes and under awnings of shade, the Skirmishers watched them all anxiously. Some of the older looking ones remained seated, but the younger, and especially the children, scurried towards the road to get as close as possible. The Reapers, for their part, refrained from reaching for their weapons.

Near to the back of the brigade, a grey haired Reaper put down the child she had been carrying on her shoulder and looked to the makeshift doorway of one of the houses, where a hybrid woman stood surrounded by three young children. Under her colorful headscarf, her wisps of white hair were as fine as spider silk.

The Reaper waved. "Hi there!" She called.

_"Vālt!"_ One of the children chirped, hobbling forward. His mother grabbed his arm and held him back.

"I'm Gili." The Reaper said, pulling her hood off her face. "Lovely family you got there, Ma'am."

The Skirmisher ran her eyes suspiciously over the woman, but then stepped forward a few feet until she was off the porch and on the sand, face to face with Gili. To her surprise, the hybrid woman was actually a bit shorter than her.

"You have a child, too?" The woman asked in a voice that sounded like it was rarely used.

"Yes I do! This is Tsiuri." Gili stooped and scooped up her child, bouncing her on her hip while Tsiuri struggled to get comfortable. "Your son looks about her age. What's his name?"

"...He is Murugan." The woman began to push her son behind her, but he ran forward and reached up, grabbing Tsiuri's sock and tugging on it.

"Want to explore the cactuses with me?" He chirped, his voice lacking the distinct scratchiness that most former ADVENT possessed.

Tsiuri looked up to Gili and pouted, but she didn't need to; Gili was already letting her down.

"Come back in 20 minutes, okay?" She said in Georgian this time. "It's getting dark."

"K'argi, deda." Tsiuri began to run off, but her mother stopped her.

" nglisurad gtkhovt?" Gili raised a brow.

Tsiuri huffed. "Oh-kay Mama. Love." She blew Gili a kiss as she followed the boy, and the two ran off into the sands.

Gili turned back to the hybrid. "They grow up fast, huh? I'm sorry, I never asked your name?"

"Germana…" The woman croaked out. Her voice sounded sore, and she spoke her name as though she were still unaccustomed to it.

"Well it looks like we'll be neighbors, Germana." Gili winked. "Keep a cup of sugar for me, I've been thinking of getting into baking-"

The two women broke off as the whir of engines faded from a distant hum to a thundering noise right above them. They looked up, and Gili smiled in surprise.

.

.

Senuna stepped out onto the sand, her silver physique shining against the darkness of the night sky, and wrapped Betos in a tight hug, ignoring her outstretched hand. "Oh Betos, how I've _missed_ you on the Avenger!"

"Hello, Commander." Betos stammered, trying to hide her shock. She really should have been used to these displays of affection by now, it was one of the many idiosyncrasies Senuna was known for.

Volk chuckled at Betos' discomfort. "Hi, Commander. You got enough room on that ship for my folks?"

"If you squeeze." She giggled and shook his hand eagerly. "If not, we can tie a few of you to the roof, it'll be fine~"

"Oh fuck you." Volk muttered, but it didn't sound fully malicious.

"How many are boarding?" Bradford asked, data pad in hand as he strolled up behind the Commander.

"Not even a hello, Central?" Volk plucked the data pad from Bradford's fingers and pulled him into a hug. "Fuck outta here."

Bradford sighed, patting his old friend on the back. "Just trying to get everyone to where they need to go, and smoothly."

"You're doing God's work, my good man." Volk murmured as he pulled away. "For now, our sick and injured and those with children are going to be remaining here with the Skirmishers; I'm not bringing vulnerable people into unfamiliar territory."

"That still leaves a good…" Senuna counted a few heads. "That's a good 70 soldiers."

"I'd like to request a platoon of 20 Skirmishers accompany them, as well." Betos added. "With your permission, Commander."

"I think that'd be lovely!" Senuna clasped her hands. "Bradford, think we can fit them in?"

Bradford sighed. "It'll be tight, but we might just make it."

Betos nodded. "And Volk and I-"

"You two get to ride in the Penthouse!" Senuna cheered. "It'll be like a sleepover!"

"Unless your sleepovers ended with skinny dipping in the Arctic Lakes on a dare, no it won't." Volk laughed loudly as he ascended the tall, metal ramp, onto the Avenger.

Betos looked at Senuna, confused. "What is skinny dipping?"

"I'll tell you in a bit." Senuna waved her inside, Bradford following behind them.

Stepping onto the ship, Betos greeted Lily Shen with a bow, then looked around expectantly.

"Missing something?" Bradford asked.

"Where is the Shrinemaiden?" Betos asked, realizing how small her voice sounded.

"She and her brothers stayed behind at the haven." He replied.

"To help defend it?"

"Um, sure." He chuckled. "Not much it needs defending from, though. I think Zafar is just paranoid, nothing could even make it out there to get them."

"Commander." Tygan stepped into the garage, his lab coat a bit rumpled and his eyes dark with sleeplessness. "Your desktop is beeping repeatedly and it is quite annoying. I believe you're receiving a call."

"Oh shoot! Might be the Council-" She stopped herself, pressing her lips together into a thin line. "Thanks, Tygan. Will you be okay, Betos?"

Betos nodded. "I have slept on the Avenger before. I know where to go."

"Good!" Senuna ran up to Tygan and patted his shoulder. "Holler if you need me!"

"I need many things, Commander." He sighed as she pushed past and jogged inside, through the door and up the ladder. "Betos. It's a pleasure to see you again."

"And you, Doctor." She bowed. "Our people can never thank you enough for all of your help."

"I only do what I can." He looked past her at Volk. "How's your abdominal pain?"

Betos looked sideways at Volk, who faltered a bit at the sudden question. "It's...fine."

"Have you been taking the probiotics that I prescribed?"

"Aren't you violating doctor-patient confidentiality right now?" Volk grumbled.

"I'm just asking how you are." Tygan's slight smile could not go ignored.

"Yeah, yeah. Well I'm heading inside to settle in."

Tygan stared at him as he followed Senuna's path inside, seemingly dragging his feet, then took out his walkie-talkie and pressed a button. "Who is on bartending duty, today?"

_"That's me, Doc."_ Someone said, their voice distorted over the radio.

"Do not allow Volk any alcohol, please."

_"Are you kidding? He'll kill me if I get between him and his vodka."_ They chuckled.

"Do what you can." Was all Tygan said. "Betos, do your people need any-"

The intercom began to whir to life, and the entire ship fell into an eerie, expectant silence.

.

.

Senuna sat down in her chair, flipping her hair behind her and reading the name on the screen. Puzzled, she blinked in confusion as she saw it was not the Resistance Council calling her, but the Dakhla radio tower.

"That's odd…" She said out loud to distract herself from the sinking feeling in her stomach. She pressed the answer button and waited…

The image sprung to life, grainy but visible, and Senuna saw Verge standing in front of the desk. _"Commander,"_ he was panting hard, and Senuna could tell something was amiss. _"I'm sorry I-_"

"No, Verge." She held up a hand. "What's happened?"

_"Zafar was right."_ Verge stammered. _"ADVENT has found the oasis. They have troops at the Western Front and I am sure they're setting up for a siege."_

Senuna felt her blood run cold. "Where's Malinalli? And Jane? And where are the Chosen?!"

_"Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai went to investigate."_ Verge replied. _"I...do not know where Malinalli is, she may be with the other medics. And Jane was in the local bar last I checked, she won't be hard to find."_

_"Lau vhyata."_ Senuna leaned forward on her elbows, hands clasped over her mouth. She took a deep breath in, trying to calm her mind enough to think. "...Find the Chosen, find the medical staff and find Jane. Get them all somewhere safe."

_"Should we leave the village?"_

"No, they will chase you. Hide somewhere, in a basement or one of the temples." Senuna tapped on the desk with one finger. "How many troops do they have?"

_"I don't know."_ He shook his head. _"But from the sound of it, they have a good amount with them, enough to fill the road spanning both directions. I would count it in the hundreds."_

"And how many soldiers do _we_ have there?"

_"Generously? Maybe 20, including the medics."_

Senuna chewed her lip, going over the numbers in her head. 20 people versus potentially hundreds? Still, she had pulled victory from worse odds before.

_"Commander there's something else."_ Verge said quickly, his voice shaking. _"There's an Elder. Here."_

"What?!" Senuna clenched her fists. "Who.?"

_"Vox Imdugud-"_ There was the sound of shattering glass, and the TV feed turned to static. She could hear Verge cursing as he tried to get it back online. _"Commander! Can you still hear me?"_

"Yes!" She cried. "Leave the radio, Verge, get everyone and get them to safety!" Hanging up on his behalf, Senuna sprang up out of her chair and hit the call button on the intercom. "All units onto the Avenger, NOW. ALL UNITS ON THE AVENGER! DAKHLA IS UNDER ATTACK!"

.

.

The silence was staggering. Vox Imdugud's presence seemed to dampen all sensations, leaving only emotions to swallow them.

Kon-Mai's back was hurting from staying crouched behind the wall. Her head was pressed to Gur-Rai's chest, and she could hear his heart hammering, his sharp breaths hissing through his teeth. She tried to wiggle away, but his grip on her was so strong it immobilized her.

"Not yet." His whisper was almost inaudible, even to her. "He's looking."

"Where is Dhar-Mon?" She asked, her own voice barely there.

"I don't know." He loosened his hold on her, just slightly, and peered one eye over the edge of the roof. "...I can't see him from here."

"We must move." She could feel her own voice shaking. "If we stay here, we'll be caught."

"If we move, we'll be caught." He snapped. "He wants you, Konnie. He wants you, and I'm not letting him take you."

"Me?" She looked up at her brother. "It is all of us he wants."

"Yeah, sure." He peered over the rocky ledge once again.

**"Your silence will only hasten your demise."** Imdugud said, his voice low and drawling. **"If you want your lives, and the lives of your children, spared from the horror of extinction, You will give unto me the Chosen."**

More silence, and once again Kon-Mai began to try and wriggle out of her brother's grip. "He will kill them all."

"Yeah and he's gonna kill us doing it." Gur-Rai ducked low, finally letting go of her. "You can go invisible., right? On my mark, I want you to put up your cloak and make a run for it."

"What are you going to do?" Kon-Mai hissed.

"I'm going to fire on him." Gur-Rai said. "If I hit, here's hoping I kill him. If not-"

"No." She reached for his arm. "I shan't leave without you!"

"I'll be right behind you." He pulled his pistol from his belt. "It's a long shot, quite literally. But it'll give you time to escape, at least."

Kon-Mai shook her head. "No, Gur-Rai-"

"Kon-Mai, you're my baby sister." He grabbed her hand in his and squeezed it. "Let me protect you for once."

She met his eyes, shining in the dim light…

And nodded.

He pulled away, scooting to one end of the wall, holding up his pistol in one hand and on the other, three fingers. Kon-Mai got into a crouch, watching for his signal as he got ready to shoot.

_One down…_

_Two…_

_Thr-_

Just as Gur-Rai was about to stand up, a voice cut through the silence. "There are no Chosen here, _Tessura_. Not any that weren't already cast aside."

Kon-Mai gasped at the voice, and Gur-Rai blinked in shock. "Oh no…"

Throwing on her cloak, she peeked over the wall and watched Zafar step out onto the sand. In the dim light, his own eyes were glowing faintly green.

Imdugud sighed. **"Do not try to make this a game of heroics. I don't care about you or your band of misfits and rejects. I am here for the Chosen Assassin, and only the Chosen Assassin."**

Kon-Mai looked to her brother in time to see his face fall, just a bit. She clenched her fist, digging her claws into the stone.

"We don't know where she is." Zafar asserted. "Tell the other Elders that if they love their daughter so dearly as to wage war to get her back, maybe they should make it so she actually wants to stay."

Gur-Rai had to cover his mouth to stifle his snicker at that, and Kon-Mai smiled under the stress. Looking out again, it was Zafar, alone, against an army hundreds strong. The black sea of soldiers spanned across the skyline.

**"You should know well enough to not tempt fate."** Imdugud snarled, his dark figure moving closer. **"You are but a pawn in this great game."**

"And so are you, lowly _Tessura_." Zafar smiled. "You may have the power of a god, you may have the face of one, but you answer to the Great Three Elders like a dog. Look at you out here, hunting for runaway children, while I stand upon a castle of my own design. Which one of us is truly the pawn?"

Imdugud fell quiet for just a moment, and Gur-Rai began to reach for his pistol once again. "Kon-Mai. Get ready to run."

He couldn't manage another move before Imdugud raised his arm and brought it down, a bolt of purple lightning cutting down the sky and striking the ground where Zafar had been standing. The snake man had rolled away just in time, and Imdugud pointed forward.

**"Forward march!"** He barked. **"We only need Vox Prima alive! Take no other prisoners!"**

Kon-Mai darted forward, grabbed Gur-Rai's hand, and pulled him off the roof with her. They dropped off the building and into an alleyway just as the rush of black-clad swordsmen charged the oasis, their purple blades illuminating the streets. Screams began to echo on the stone walls as they found their first victims, humans and hybrids and Vipers alike being struck by the vicious purple swords. Behind them, a regimen of troopers brought up the rear, their guns poised to fire at any movement, and fire they did. As a group of humans made a break for it across the courtyard, the troopers mowed them down.

"We cannot just let them be slaughtered." Kon-Mai hissed, pulling her sword from her back. "I will stand and fight, Brother, whether or not you join me."

"And let you have all the fun?" His smile was strained, but his eyes were focused. "I'm getting to high ground. Find our brother, will you?"

Kon-Mai pulled him into a hug. "Do not die."

He squeezed her in return. "Don't get caught, and I won't."

She turned and dashed through the darkness, her feet moving with such speed and nimbleness that even without her cloak, she would have been invisible to the naked eye. She slid to a stop past a colorful curtain that fell to the ground with the rush of wind, and through the window she saw a platoon of red-scaled warriors marching down the street, wielding purple lances, a few of them breaking off and chasing down a human who was unlucky enough to be in their way.

Kon-Mai leapt through a window and into the empty bar of Althaea's tavern, looking around as she planned her next move. She crouched low to the ground, moving carefully along the wall, when the sudden shattering of glass made her jump. She drew her dagger, certain a soldier had cornered her, but it was not ADVENT she found.

Jane Kelly stumbled out from the back room, head bleeding and gun drawn. "How could you?!" she cried, but as Kon-Mai raised her blade to defend herself, she realized she was not talking to her.

"Don't act like you understand!" Althaea slithered out after her, fangs bared. "You think the humans will just forget these last 20 years? Do you really believe they'll welcome us with open arms? Not all of them are xeno fuckers like you!"

Jane had a perfect shot, but she was hesitating, and Kon-Mai could see tears in her eyes.

"I trusted you." Jane was shaking. "And you sold us out. Led them right to us."

"I wish I could say I'm sorry, but I'd do it again." Althaea's voice was heavy. "I'd do it a hundred times. I have no home anymore. I'm barely a snake and I'm nowhere near human."

"You've doomed your own sisters." Jane hissed. "You fucking-"

Althaea lunged for Jane again, her fangs bared, but was stopped by the point of Kon-Mai's blade.

The Chosen uncloaked. "It was you."

Althaea hissed. "If you had any sense, Sister, you stand with me. You would rejoin the Elders."

Kon-Mai took a breath, but she could feel her blood boil. "You have no idea what you're saying. You don't know what they did to me."

"They were so good to you!" Althaea said it with such sincerity. "They took a normal human, and they made you so much more! They made you a _goddess_!"

"I did not want to be a goddess." Kon-Mai growled. "And I certainly did not want to be twisted and warped into their own image of one! Do you wish to see the scars they gave me?!"

"You don't know what you want." Althaea snapped. "None of us do. We need them, Vox Prima, for you and I are _nothing_ without-"

There was a sharp silence, her words hanging in the air, as the bullet from Jane's gun cut through Althaea's chest, leaving a hole no bigger than a dime. The snake stumbled back, gaining her bearings, and used the last of her strength to lunge at Jane once again, reaching out to pull her toward her fangs, but this time, it was Kon-Mai's blade she met with. The Viper fell to the ground, her green blood spilling over the clean floor.

Kon-Mai looked up at Jane, who was white as a sheet and staggering back into the wall. The Chosen approached her cautiously, hands up. "Are you alright?"

"...No." She looked up, her eyes suddenly as cold as the day they'd met. "Let's go."

"Are you certain?" Kon-Mai asked as Jane pushed past her, giving Althaea's dead corpse a wide berth.

"Yes." She picked up a bit more ammunition from the back room and stuffed it in her pocket. "Where to first?"

"We must find Dhar-Mon." Kon-Mai beckoned her to the door. "Gur-Rai has gotten to high ground and will begin picking off what troops he can."

"What about Verge?" Jane asked, crouching beside Kon-Mai as they hid on opposite sides of the doorway, peering out into the chaos in the street. They had brought Purifiers with them, and they were beginning to burn away anything remotely flammable, including people.

"He was going to the radio tower to call the Commander for help." Kon-Mai opened the cloth and peered out. "The tower is closer to us than I thought..."

"Let's grab him, then your brothers, then run." Jane hissed. "One-"

"No." Kon-Mai held up a hand. "No counting. It...seems to end badly."

Jane nodded. "After you, then."

.

.

Somebody shoved a machine gun into Malinalli's arms, causing her to drop the medical supplies she held. "Arm yourself!" They shouted as they ran from her, presumably towards the other soldiers, and she stammered as she tried to articulate that she was absolutely useless with a gun.

It didn't matter now though, because the soldiers were upon them. Flanked by normal ADVENT troopers, the other three warriors were clad in pitch black, their eyes glowing purple behind their visors. Their bright red skin and crested heads made them look even more alien.

The other nurses were grabbing their own weapons to try and mount a defense, but one glowing warrior strolled right up to Lothar before he could even cock his gun. Malinalli gasped and tried to rush to him, but could barely manage a single step before the alien drove their purple lance through Lothar's stomach, lifting him up off the ground so that the serrated blade cut his chest in two.

Malinalli dropped her gun, her hands shaking and fingers glowing green. Her colleague, Chinonso, had gotten her ammo loaded and grabbed Malinalli by the hand, pulling her back behind cover, before she turned around again and fired on these psionic lancers. If she hit any, they seemed not to feel it at all, and the troopers retaliated with their own rounds.

"We need to fall back." Chinonso said. "They're going to slaughter us here!"

"We _need _to find the Chosen." Malinalli hissed.

"Molly, this is no time to worry about your boyfriend!"

"Did you hear that thing?! They came for THEM!" She got down into a crouch. "If they get the Chosen back, who knows what they'll do to them. Who knows what they'll do to _us_."

Chinonso chewed her lip. "...I get your point. Okay, what do we do?"

"I can cover you." Malinalli said. "Run for Zafar's house, that's a good place to check and if they're not there-"

"What do you mean you can cover me?" Chinonso scoffed. "You don't have a gun."

"I don't need one." Malinalli took a breath. "Get ready…"

Chinonso sighed. "God damn you."

"NOW!"

The two of them darted out from behind the wall, Chinonso firing wildly at the soldiers before sprinting the other way. As they turned, drawing their own rifles in preparation, Malinalli sprang forward and held up her hands, a green shield of light forming between her and their hail of bullets.

At first, it was enough to not only stop them, but leave them dumbfounded, until one soldier in the front turned and shouted something to his company in Etheric. Malinalli only caught pieces of it, but he pointed at her and barked out a command.

She began inching back, too scared to drop the shield and run just in case they fired on her. One glowing lancer stepped forward, right up to her flimsy defense, and raised his sword, bringing it down with the force of a great bear. With the first strike, the shield surprisingly held. With the second, it shattered and she was thrown back, landing on the ground on her hip.

He grabbed her arm, hissing something Etheric at her, and she caught a snippet of the words. _*"Nixi."*_ He hissed.

"I don't-" She stammered. "Get away!"

He ignored her and dragged her to her feet, his face close to hers. His eyes were glowing purple, but something about their contents was muddled. There was red mixed in, as though blood cells were bursting as they spoke.

He turned and began to shout towards the other troops, until something large and metal slammed into the side of his head. He was thrown to the ground, nearly taking Malinalli with him, but she only dropped to one knee as she wrenched her arm away.

She looked up, her eyes tearing up with relief. "Dhar-Mon!"

He could only give her a quick smile before he turned on the others. She called forth her shield again, and he raised a clawed hand, mumbling an Etheric chant. All around them, purple figures rose from the ground, men and women and all others made of violet vapor and black smoke, shimmering with psionic power, all answering his plea from beyond the veil. Dhar-Mon pointed forward, issuing the command, and they rushed the psionic soldiers.

Dhar-Mon took Malinalli by the hand. "Come, we must retreat." He said, pulling her along as he sprinted away.

"Wait!" She panted, nearly tripping. His legs were so much longer than hers. Normally he hung back, but when he pushed himself like this, she was left floundering.

He tossed his warhammer onto his back and turned, scooping her into his arms like she was made of air. He kept running, the ground shaking with each step, though maybe that was just the explosions around them. A burst of fire appeared on their left, and she heard a woman scream in agony. Someone to her left was sprinting alongside, their body enveloped in fire. A thousand voices called out for mercy.

Malinalli pressed her face into his shoulder. She had seen combat before, but this wasn't combat. It was a massacre.

"There is the tower." Dhar-Mon said quietly, pressing his face close to her ear. "We will retrieve Verge, and then evacuate the city."

"Okay." She tried to take a deep breath to calm herself. She was safe with him. He would keep her safe…

Her fear overwhelmed her. She felt her heart was on the brink of exploding. As he slowed to a jog, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't leave me." She whimpered, her voice shaking as she held back tears. "Not again."

"I would never leave you...alone." The way he said, the way he pressed his hand to her head, it told her all she needed to know.

"Brother!"

Malinalli looked up, blinking the tears from her eyes, as Kon-Mai and Jane darted into view. Kon-Mai was flicking purple blood off her sword, and Jane was running backwards, firing out at the few troops that were still chasing them. The four met at the doors of the radio tower, and Dhar-Mon put Malinalli down so he could embrace his sister.

"Thank the stars." He pulled away. "They are here for you, Kon-Mai."

"I know." She said. "We are going to get Verge and-"

The door opened, and the Sectoid poked his head out, blinking. "Just the people I needed to see." He didn't sound as jovial as his words implied. "Where's Gur-Rai?"

"Up on the rooftop, he is trying to get a shot on Imdugud." Kon-Mai said.

"Is that it's name?" Jane muttered, adjusting her grip on her rifle. "I was just gonna call that thing Fuckface."

"He needs to abandon that venture." Verge snapped. "We need to go NOW."

"I will retrieve Gur-Rai." Dhar-Mon said. "The rest of you, begin fleeing for the mountains."

"No, I'm staying with you." Malinalli said with such conviction it surprised even her. "I can help."

Dhar-Mon shook his head. "You will be injured and I…" He blushed purple, swallowing in utter fear compounded by the situation around him.

"And what? _You_ might be killed!" She protested. "I can't lose you again, Dhar-Mon!"

"And I cannot even _imagine_ losing you!" He cried. "I would rather face the Elders alone, and endure all their wicked punishments, than wake up in a world without you."

"You…" She didn't know what to say. She didn't know if there was anything to say. "...Are you saying you…?"

Dhar-Mon clasped his hands together, bowing his head. "If one of us must die…I would gladly give my life to see you smile another day."

Malinalli took his hands in hers. "You won't have to." She said quietly. "Because...I'll be right beside you."

Kon-Mai let a small smile grace her lips as she watched the scene before her. Malinalli blinked up at Dhar-Mon, entwining her tiny fingers with his.

"This is all very heartwarming, but there is a flaw in your great plan." Verge crossed his arms. "Unfortunately I've been told running is the worst thing we could do. They have more than enough soldiers to give chase."

"If we can't run, we need to hide." Jane looked at Kon-Mai. "Hide you, at least. They may kill the rest of us, but I don't wanna think of what they'll do to you if they get you."

Kon-Mai swallowed and nodded. "Does anyone know where to go?"

"Probably away from the tower." Verge muttered. "What about Althae's-"

"Althaea's dead." Jane spat. "She was the one who called ADVENT here."

Verge blinked, his face revealing his disbelief. "Why?"

Jane shrugged, but all could see she was blinking back tears. "We just came from there, they'll be swarming the place by now."

"First let's hunt down Gur-Rai." Malinalli said. "He's close to Zafar and Nazira, he might know of a hidden cave or something."

.

.

_BANG_

_ZAP_

And he missed again. Gur-Rai let out a roar and slammed his hand onto the bolt, pulling it back and cocking the gun once again. He knew he was probably going to draw their attention this way, but he wasn't going to let that lanky fucker get away without landing at least one hit on him. He'd been waiting for a chance like this.

Down below in the streets, he heard a familiar scream that caught his attention, drawing it away from the Elder at the village gates. He looked down. "Nazira!"

Nazira was backed into a corner, caught between two buildings as the troops descended upon her. One of the elites rushed her, sword drawn, but Nazira was quick as a bird and ducked under the blade. The lance skimmed the wall, and Nazira tried to dart between the legs of the next trooper, only for them to grab her. She pulled away, they both went tumbling down.

Gur-Rai shifted his fire onto the troops below, locking on his target just as Nazira tried to wriggle away. The trooper reached up and grabbed her, this time raking their claws down her forearm.

Gur-Rai fired off a shot, missing the one holding Nazira and hitting the soldier about a foot away. This was too slow, and just as the trooper got Nazira in a choke hold, the Darkstrider dropped to the ground and drew his pistol, put it to the trooper's head, and fired, spraying purple brains across the walls.

"I...was wondering where you were." Nazira got to her feet, holding the gash on her arm. "I can't find Zafar."

"He's probably out trying to kill their leader." Gur-Rai mumbled. "We need to get out of here."

"Do we? But it's such a lovely spot." Nazira chuckled.

He smiled and grabbed her waist with one arm. "Hang onto my neck."

"Gotcha, Spiderman." She clambered onto his back, some of her blood dripping onto his armor and wearing small holes in the cloth. He said nothing about it.

"Adios, amigos." He grinned to the lancers as they rushed him, and held up his arm, firing his grappling hook into the closest building and letting it pull them away. They landed on a nearby rooftop, thinking they were safe.

That was until part of the roof collapsed, sending Gur-Rai sliding down towards the floor inside. He shot his grapple out again and this time, it flew a good distance away and yoinked him and Nazira away before he could even look where they were going.

He smashed face-first into the tall stone walls of the radio tower, hanging onto the edge as he grabbed Nazira by the waist to keep her from falling. He dared not let go, as he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stick the landing and hold onto her at the same time, so he just closed his eyes and prayed. To what, he didn't know, but he prayed.

Nazira dug her nails into his back as a deep, cold voice filled the air around them, drilling into their minds. **"It is no wonder you flee now, ****_Vox Zagre_****. You know what awaits you beneath the churning waves."**

"Gur-Rai." Nazira whispered. "Don't listen."

He tried not to, he really did, but Vox Imdugud's words forced their way down his throat and into his skull. **"You did have one talent the others didn't. Nobody could writhe in pain like you. No one could take those awful punishments like you could. I always suspected you enjoyed them. I know your father did."**

"Gur-Rai!" He could hear his siblings' voices down below, but dared not open his eyes, lest he truly be lost to this demon's voice.

**"I did appreciate your durability, I really did."** Imdugud had a chuckle in his voice. **"Camazotz ****_Madron_**** would always break his toys so easily, and when he didn't break them, he'd get bored and destroy them. But you, Gur-Rai Madron. You held his attention. How did you do it? Was it your struggles? Your screams? That last little human part of your brain ****_that just won't die?"_**

Gur-Rai heard Nazira scream, and he held her closer, but she began to try and wiggle out his grip. "ZAFAR! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Confused, Gur-Rai opened his eyes and looked down upon the stone rooftops, and there was Zafar. A discarded Arc Blade in his hand, his black hair flowing out behind him, he sprinted forward towards where Vox Imdugud was, the Ethereal floating stationary and clueless. Before Gur-Rai could even think of a plan to help him, Zafar leapt into the air, sword raised above his head, ready to cut the Elder in two.

Imdugud looked to his right. His lower hands shot out, and the blade dropped to the ground, unused, as Zafar struggled in his grip. Imdugud's hand was wrapped around his neck.

"NO!" Nazira was now struggling so hard, Gur-Rai had to work to keep from dropping her. "NOT MY BROTHER! ZAFAR!"

**"I was going to let you live."** Imdugud said, his purple gaze burrowing into Zafar's wide eyes. **"But you're costing me valuable time. And time is money."** He looked up at Nazira, reaching out for her brother. **"You're quite the valuable asset, aren't you? I can't let you go unpunished, but maybe we can…" **He raised his upper arms and ran the cold, gnarled fingers over Zafar's cheeks. **"...broker a deal."**

Tracing his hands up to Zafar's brow, the Thin Man choked out one feeble _"no," _before Imdugud dug his thumbs into his eye sockets.

The scream he let out was terrible. It shook the very air itself, and Nazira screamed with him, shrieking as she tried to pull herself down into oblivion if only to reach her brother. Gur-Rai stared stunned at the gruesome scene, and though he could not see the wounds, he imagined the acidic blood running down Zafar's cheeks, and felt rage burn within him.

"Nazira, climb." He snapped.

"What the _fuck _does that mean?!" Her voice was hoarse and her green eyes were lined with red.

"I'm going to toss you. Catch the edge of the rooftop, and climb to the top of the tower."

"Why?!"

"Because I'm going to shoot him, and I need my hands free." Be barely gave her time to react before he hoisted her up and threw her up towards the tower roof. She stretched out her long arms and caught the edge, nearly slipping off as she fell back toward the earth but managing to keep her grip with one hand. With the other, she reached up, and used her inhuman strength and hauled herself to the rooftop.

Gur-Rai tried to fumble for his pistol, but quickly realized it's range wasn't long enough to reach the Elder. Zafar's screams had melted into pained moans and pleas for mercy, and there was a sickly _POP_ as Imdugud plucked his fingers out of the now hollow sockets.

**"I think they'll still pay for damaged goods."** He held up Zafar by his neck, waving him about. **"Now then. You want your brother back, traitor? Bring me the Chosen Assassin, and then we will talk."**

Nazira looked down at Kon-Mai, silently narrowing her eyes, and the Shrinemaiden looked up to her expectantly.

"Gur-Rai." Nazira said. "Throw me the Darklance."

"What?" He looked up at her in confusion.

"Throw it to me." She crouched and reached down. "Hurry."

"But you said...the guns-"

"My past has come back to haunt me. Time to put it down once and for all." She smiled sadly. "And hey. It's a rifle, not a pistol."

Gur-Rai pulled the Darklance off his back and passed it up to her. She grabbed it by the barrel and pulled it toward herself, crouching down and shifting it into her arms. It was slightly bigger than she was used to, but fit in her embrace like it was her own.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, shivering. For a moment she was there once again, on the rim of the temple ship, her suit too tight, her hair cut short, her green eyes covered.

She opened her eyes. "Those fucking glasses were the worst part." She muttered, as she pulled the trigger.

The kickback from the rifle sent Nazira skidding across the roof, but the beam found its mark. Just as Imdugud raised the arm that was holding Zafar, the beam cut past his limbs and hit him in the center of his chest. There was an audible crack as his ribs split into fragments, and Imdugud dropped his hostage and doubled over.

Nazira caught the edge of the roof before she could tumble to her doom, but this time she couldn't manage to pull herself to safety before the cursed Elder straightened up again, the deep red energy of the Darklance dancing around him, in his eyes and at his fingertips.

**"I see there is no negotiating with terrorists."** Imdugud growled, raising his arms in a strange, twisting dance. **"Fine. If it is desolation you want, I will oblige."**

"MOVE!" Dhar-Mon tried to hurry everyone away from the tower, but he could barely get the word out before Imdugud called back the beam of dark energy and hurled it back the way it came. It struck the side of the tower, cutting through stone and metal and missing Gur-Rai by mere inches. While the beam did not hurt him, though, the fall certainly would, as the roof began to disintegrate, and the rock he was holding onto crumbled, and he plummeted to the ground.

The tower leaned to the side, overshadowing them like a titan. Kon-Mai rushed towards Gur-Rai as he fell, and they saw Nazira land on the opposite side of them, crying out in pain as she landed. Dhar-Mon grabbed his sister and Malinalli close to him, and Malinalli raised her hands, her shield rising and then shattering, as a thousand pounds of rock and steel came crashing down upon them.

.

.

Dua-Zoar approached the twisted pile of rubble, her brothers in tow behind her. She was still on high alert: while most would assume none could live through such a collision, she knew the Chosen Assassin was no normal woman. She was in there, alive, and if not, a corpse was better than nothing at all.

There was movement within the rubble as more of her siblings drew near, crowding around the destruction. A bit of stone was pushed away, and a brown-skinned human hand breached the surface, followed by a gloved blue one.

Kon-Mai rose to her feet, bruised and scratched and covered in bloody cuts, with the green-eyed human girl gasping for breath beside her. The Chosen drew her sword, while Malinalli began digging through the rubble again. "Dhar-Mon! DHAR-MON! OH GOD PLEASE! NOT AGAIN!" She looked up, scanning the troops around her, and then went back to clawing at the rubble, her nails breaking off as she dragged the stones aside.

Dua-Zaor stepped forward, toward Kon-Mai. Her face was as blank as her glowing eyes. _*"I was told to bring you home."*_

Kon-Mai took up a fighting stance and raised her sword. _*"Who are you?"*_

_*"I am Dua-Zoar Khomain, daughter of Vox Tiyanak."*_ She raised her lance. _*"Drop your sword, and come with me. I will return you to our masters."*_

Kon-Mai growled. _*"I can tell you are newly born, you naive wench: you have not yet felt the cruel hand of their punishment. If you had, you would be here fighting at my side."*_

Dua-Zoar's lip twitched. _*"I am thankful for the Elders' blessings, unlike you and your kin. Look at what your freedom has brought, Mordenna. Your brothers now lay dead."*_

Kon-Mai felt her knees go weak, and before she could right herself, Dua-Zoar rushed forward. Kon-Mai brought up her sword to stop her, but Dua-Zoar blocked her attack with her arm and pressed her lance to Kon-Mai's neck. _*"Restrain her."*_ She called out to her brothers. _*"I will eliminate the last human."*_

"No!" Kon-Mai tried to lunge for Malinalli, but the Holy Lancers came forth and held her down, binding her arms behind her back as Dua-Zoar stepped forward, towards the human girl.

Malinalli backed away slowly, her tears cutting tracks in the dust on her cheeks. Dua-Zoar stood above her, and Malinalli shivered, but held her gaze.

Then the woman knelt and took her chin, looking into her eyes. Malinalli held her gaze, barely blinking, as Dua-Zoar mumbled something under her breath.

She stood and turned to the others. _*"Bind this one too."*_

_*"But Sister."*_ One of her siblings protested. _*"Vox Imdugud-"*_

_*"Bind her."*_ Dua-Zoar looked down at Malinalli once again, who stared at her in utter fear. _*"She will be useful to us."*_

Malinalli was shoved forward and brought to her feet, where, like Kon-Mai, her hands were bound behind her. The two women stood side by side as the Holy Lancer behind them shoved them forward.

Malinalli looked back at the pile of rubble, feeling her knees grow weak. "He's not dead." She whispered. _"He can't be dead…I promised..."_

Kon-Mai was silent, but Malinalli heard from her labored breathing that she was trying not to cry.

.

.

The Avenger raced through blackened skies, and Senuna could see the smoke rising in the distance. Her heart dropped into her stomach. "Bradford. Faster."

"This is as fast as I can go, Sunny!" Bradford was leaning over the panel in the control room, one hand on the control joystick and the other on the keypad. "Don't worry. We'll get there."

Senuna turned away from the sight, her hands covering her mouth as she allowed herself a moment of emotion. Then she took a deep breath.

"Land here."

"What?" Bradford looked at her.

"Land here, and tell all units to get into gear."

"We're a good mile away…" Bradford stopped himself as he looked Senuna in the eye. "...Yes, Commander.

Senuna turned to Volk. "When we move on the town, get your people as high up as possible without being seen. You're in charge of ranged attacks. Aim for the Elder, he's hard to miss."

"They won't see us till they're dead, Commander." He assured her, then reached out and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "They'll be okay. My Elena's in there, too."

"And Mox." Betos spoke up.

"Betos, the You and the Skirmishers come around on the north and south flanks. Keep quiet and just get as close as you can. Wait until you hear my signal."

"What is your signal?"

"You'll know it." She turned to Bradford. "Have Menace 1-5 come up on the Eastern Front.. Our goal is to cut off their exit. I will not let him get away." Her voice was low and her fists were clenched.

"What are you planning, Sunny?" Bradford asked as he began to bring the ship to a landing.

"I'm not debating you right now." She turned on her heel and walked out. "Just tell all our troops to wait for my signal."

He didn't call out to her as she left, and even if he had she would have ignored him. She marched down the hall and up the ladders towards her quarters, going straight to the old chest in the back of the room.

She hoped she wasn't too rusty. No time to practice now.

Senuna opened the black box and stared at the glowing cuffs inside. Each one was made of a silvery metal and scratched with deep, detailed runes that pulsed with green and blue light. She lifted them from the vault and slipped her hands inside, and they camped around her wrist. They still fit like gloves.

The ship touched down, and Senuna closed the box.

.

.

Dhar-Mon gasped as the cool air finally hit his face and filled his lungs. He shoved the rubble off of himself, using his psionic energy to send a few rocks flying, causing a crash that was probably way too loud. He brushed aside the debris, looking for any of his comrades, and grabbed the ponytail of an unconscious Jane, hauling her into the clean air.

Nazira was a few feet away, only half buried by the rubble, but lying completely still on the sand, he crawled over to her, taking her by the arm and pulling her legs free. She stirred a bit, and sighing in relief, he patted her head, leaving her to rest in the clear air.

He heard movement to his side, and reached down into the rubble again. A few minutes of floundering and he grabbed Verge's hand, pulling the Sectoid to safety. Verge screamed with the effort before Dhar-Mon could shush him.

"Head down." Dhar-Mon hissed, and collapsed over Verge, keeping him still as two Holy Lancers strolled by, kicking aside the rubble.

_*"Should we get the bodies?"* _Dhar-Mon could feel them looking at him.

_*"We only need the Assassin, there is no need to waste energy on these."*_ The other said. _*"And what use would the Elders have for junk?"*_

Dhar-Mon held completely still, barely breathing until he heard the footsteps fade into the distance. Waiting a few moments to ensure they were gone, he finally got off of Verge, who was looking around.

"I can't find Gur-Rai." He said quietly, his voice panicked.

"I will find him." Dhar-Mon said. "Nazira and Jane are injured, can you see to them?"

"I can keep watch." Verge nodded.

"Good, and keep low. Play dead if you hear someone." He went to stand, then found his legs were in incredible pain, and opted to crawl over the broken stones instead.

.

.

Zafar was lying in a puddle of his own green blood, and Imdugud was wiping the bits of peeling flesh from his thumbs. He scoffed and looked down at his dying victim with eyes of pure disgust. **"I do not think these will ever heal."** He growled. **"Do you know how much trouble this will cause me?"**

_*"Vox Imdugud."*_ Dua-Zoar called out as her platoon drew closer, two women in tow. _*"The Chosen Assassin has been recaptured, as well as-"*_

_***"Why did you bring me this human?"***_ Imdugud spat, gesturing to Malinalli as she was hauled up by her chains. _***"She's not worth the stone I've shattered this night. I told you-"***_

Dua-Zoar stepped closer to him, and Malinalli heard her utter something quietly, in words she could not quite understand but sounded so familiar. Whatever it was, it gave Imdugud pause, and he looked past Dua-Zoar at Malinalli.

Kon-Mai tried to step in front of her human friend, but the other Lancers pulled her off to the side, despite her struggling. Malinalli stood alone as Imdugud approached her, staring down at her, meeting her green eyes.

One of his lower hands took her chin and tilted it up, then side to side as he examined her. He brought a hand up to her face and she flinched away, but he chuckled.

**"Oh no, child. You're too valuable to harm."** He turned back to Dua-Zoar. _***"This will surely turn our fortunes."***_

_*"We must prepare to retreat then."*_ Dua-Zoar straightened up.

_***"Yes."***_ Imdugud let go of Malinalli. He raised his hands, glowing deep purple, and Malinalli could hear him speaking in her mind.

**"Holy Lancers. Return to the portal. We have what we came here for."**

.

.

Dhar-Mon found his brother lying in a crevice, between a corner of the destroyed ceiling and a piece of the radio. His brother looked to have landed on his side, and as Dhar-Mon shook him awake, he gasped in pain.

"Are you alright?" Dhar-Mon began to move his arms under him to lift him up.

"Just fucking dandy. Wait!" Gur-Rai grabbed his arm. "Don't, please, I'm stuck one something."

Sure enough, Dhar-Mon looked down and saw that a shard of metal, sticking out from the radio control panel, had embedded itself in Gur-Rai's side.

Dhar-Mon sighed. "I'll need to remove it. We need to start moving."

"Wait-"

"We must get out of this place." He insisted. "Our sister is being marched to her doom, and Malinalli with her."

Gur-Rai went white as a ghost. "...And Nazira?"

"Unconscious, but alive." He hushed his brother. "There are still soldiers everywhere. I will need you to be silent as I remove this."

"Are you fucking stupid? You know how much that'll hurt?!"

"Silent." Dhar-Mon grumbled. "I can heal you after, but you cannot stay tethered to this thing."

Gur-Rai laid his head back and growled. "...please be quick."

"You will not see it coming." Dhar-Mon took his brother into his arms and hugged his body against him. One hand on his shoulders, one on his waist, he shifted to the side and rolled away from the radio, the piece of metal tearing itself from Gur-Rai's side. He screamed, but that was muffled by the fact that he was biting into Dhar-Mon's robe. As the Hieromonk tore himself away, he pressed a glowing hand to the now open wound. The bleeding quickly stopped, and Gur-Rai began to relax.

Only briefly. "I hear footsteps." He hissed, and Dhar-Mon crawled deeper into the crevice beside him, peering out into the dark sky as an armored silhouette crossed his vision.

But this one...this one was bulkier, and had no glow. They held a bullpup rifle, and when they saw Dhar-Mon, they saluted him.

"Skirmishers." He turned to his brother. "Fret not little brother, we will be safe soon."

"Who's fretting?" Gur-Rai chuckled, but Dhar-Mon could feel him trembling.

.

.

The march began, all the Holy Lancers in formation, the troopers behind them, and the Purifiers at the very back, still burning all that was not already on fire. Kon-Mai and Malinalli were paraded at the front, bound at Vox Imdugud's side. He held their chains in one hand each, and as the portal opened before them, he tugged on them as though he were pulling a dog's leash.

Kon-Mai looked up at Malinalli, who's panicked eyes around frantically, still looking for some sign of hope, but there was none coming. XCOM was miles away, and her brothers…

She felt her breath hitch, and she looked up at her captor one last time. Even if she'd been at full strength, she could never have taken him herself. Ya'uq had nearly decimated her, and he had been half rotted away. Imdugud was as powerful as a god.

He turned to her and, beneath his helmet, she could feel the smile on the face he didn't have. **"You are going home, child."**

She stared up at him with utter contempt. "The Elders stole me from my home." She hissed. "And now they steal me once again."

**"You will abandon this disordered thinking when you are once again in their embrace."** He assured her, looking away.

Before them, the purple light flickered, growing brighter for a moment, then dimmer, and then the portal began to spark in and out of existence.

Imdugud faltered, nearly dropping the chains. **"What is this trickery?"** He glared at Kon-Mai. **"What are you doing?"**

She shook her head, staring dumbfounded at the event before her. The Holy Lancers seemed to fall back a hair, but Dua-Zoar shouted at them to remain in formation.

The portal exploded in a shower of blue light, fading out of existence as the desert wind picked up, and the clouds above them began to simmer with green lightning. From out of the fading darkness, a figure in white stepped forward.

Malinalli gasped. "Commander!"

Imdugud snarled. **"You finally show your face." **He hissed. **"Why now?"**

Senuna stopped, only ten feet from the Ethereal, her turquoise eyes burning with the fury and fire of a god.

* * *

Summary: This chapter is the battle between those at the Dakhla Oasis and the troops brought by Vox Imdugud, who has come to capture Kon-Mai. After the battle commences, Kon-Mai and Gur-Rai split up to cover more ground, and Kon-Mai finds Jane confronting Althaea, who is the one who called ADVENT to the oasis. There is a struggle and after insulting Kon-Mai, Althaea is killed, and Kon-Mai and Jane make their way to the radio tower.

With Malinalli and the rest of the medics, things go a lot worse, and Malinalli watches her comrade, Lothar, die before she is able to cover Chinonso's escape. When she is attacked, Dhar-Mon saves her, and the two meet up with Jane, Kon-Mai and Verge at the tower. Gur-Rai, meanwhile, saves Nazira, and the two grapple to the roof, where they are able to see Zafar's attack on Imdugud fail, and watch him be horrifically maimed by the Elder. The tower is destroyed, and the entire group crushed under it's weight. Kon-Mai and Malinalli, not knowing the others have survived, are taken prisoner by Imdugud, and are about to be marched back through the portal, when a white-clad figure steps in front. Commander Senuna emerges from the shadows, blocking Imdugud's escape.

(We are almost done, pals. Next chapter will be the ultimate climax of this first great battle!)


	36. Scattered in the Sands

Senuna stood there, her eyes glowing with blue and green starlight, and burning with rage and contempt. Silence hung over the desert: the wind itself was quiet as the grave, even though it swirled around her with the fury of a gathering storm.

Imdugud scoffed, merely irritated at this perceived inconvenience. **"So here you are." **He said. **"Oh, to what do I owe the pleasure, great and powerful Commander of XCOM?"**

Senuna was still quiet. Her blue eyes flickered to Malinalli, and the medic saw worry in their depths.

**"I see."** He chuckled. **"You are here for the girl."**

"_I am here_ to tell you that you have committed an unforgivable trespass." Senuna's voice seemed to boom, ringing across the shattered stones. "You come to the home of my allies, you kill innocent civilians, you torture my friends, and you think you can just walk off with the Shrinemaiden and one of my medics?" She shook her head. "Your arrogance has made you a fool."

**"Oh, is that what you go by now?" **Imdugud looked back at Kon-Mai. **"Shrine Maiden...hmph. I hate it. Assassin suited you much better. You actually followed orders back then...for the most part."**

"I do not ask for your opinion, you devil." Kon-Mai spat. "Hold your petulant tongue!"

**"If I had one, perhaps I would."** Imdugud chuckled at his own joke. **"But now is not the time for such pleasantries, child. I have business with the Commander."**

"I offer you one chance." Senuna stepped forward, interrupting them. "Let the Shrinemaiden and the human girl go. Take your army. Leave." Her voice was shaking. "And maybe when I finally find and storm your hidden ship, I will make your death a quick one."

**"Oh, how noble of you."** Imdugud stretched one long arm to the sky. **"Commander Senuna: a beacon of shining light for all humans. You put so much of yourself into this world, and yet, you do not belong here any more than us."**

Senuna looked away for a millisecond, and in that time, Imdugud lowered one of his arms and called forth a ray of purple light.

_**"Volant jx tagh!"**_ His voice trembling with the scratchy sound of Etheric, he sent the beam flying towards the Commander. It hit Senuna and exploded into fire and starlight, a plume of smoke and sand erupting into the air.

Malinalli gasped, and Kon-Mai took a step back, trembling. Surely the Commander was not felled by that attack alone…

They need not have worried. The dust settled, and Senuna lowered her arms, the metal cuffs around her wrists glowing with blue light, the runic carvings pulsing and glowing. She smiled at Imdugud, but in reality it was more like a scowl.

"If you want to play, Imdugud, that's fine." She opened her hands, her fingers glowing. "We can play. But you have to let my friends join in, too."

Before Imdugud could ask her what she meant by that, a battle cry rang out from behind the enemy line, and the sound of rifles and bullpups firing told Malinalli and Kon-Mai to duck immediately. In shock, Imdugud whirled around and loosened his grip on their chains just enough that Kon-Mai saw an opening.

Grabbing the edge of the chain, she pulled it on it as hard as she could. Imdugud was yanked to the side, his arm shooting out to stop her, but Kon-Mai dug her heels in. She let the chain slack just a bit, just for a moment, then heaved with all her might and ripped the chain free from his grasp. Taken aback, Imdugud tried to grab at the Shrinemaiden before she escaped, unintentionally letting go of Malinalli's chain as well, and only realizing it when the two women took off in the other direction, sprinting back towards the town.

**"AFTER THEM! WE CANNOT LET THEM ESCAPE!"** Imdugud cried out.

"This way!" Kon-Mai ducked into a side alley and waited for Malinalli to follow. Her arms were still bound in front of her, but she could use the chain as a weapon in and of itself.

"What about the Commander?!" Malinalli cried.

"I have a feeling she will be fine. Our job is to get to safety." She could hear the boots of the soldiers chasing them, pounding against the sandy ground. If they were caught again, they wouldn't get another shot at escape.

.

.

The sound of bullets being fired into the air nearly gave Dhar-Mon a heart attack, and for a moment he wrapped himself around his little brother like a hermit crab's shell, intending to take the brunt of the attack in the mad hope that Gur-Rai would go unharmed.

Then Gur-Rai saw Elena in the shadows and screamed her name, and Dhar-Mon could not keep him from wriggling out of his grasp. He was still slightly injured but the limp was barely noticeable, especially compared to Mox and Outrider.

Elena looked awful: her black hair had been singed even shorter, with patches of it ripped out, exposing the bloody skin of her scalp. Her face was scratched and her left eye was swollen and bruised, but the look of relief that came over her when she saw them seemed to melt those wounds away. She jogged toward Gur-Rai, her rifle arm limp…

Mox followed behind her, himself looking rather worse for wear. A few of the bolts on his chin had been ripped out and were gushing blood, and there was a bullet wound on his left cheek and a gash on his forehead. "We have found you!" He, too, sounded relieved, and even grabbed Dhar-Mon's hand in a firm shake. The Hieromonk had to agree, these two were a sight for sore eyes.

"You look fucking awful!" Gur-Rai cried as he hugged Elena, who slapped him on the back. "What's going on?! Did ADVENT bring more friends?!"

"No. Volk is here." She was clearly out of breath. "The Skirmishers, too. Betos brought an entire platoon of her people. They're here to help."

"Hell fucking yes." Gur-Rai sighed in relief and pulled Mox into a tight hug as well. "Have either of you seen my sister? Tell me Imdugud didn't get away with her."

"She was right beside him last we saw. Imdugud had her and Malinalli in chains." Elena cocked her rifle. "They were on the move toward the portal, but I'm thinking we may have caused a big enough distraction to at least buy them some time."

Dhar-Mon let loose an almost savage growl, his eyes glowing with power. "Then this demon shall suffer for his crimes."

"I'm sure he will, but we need a plan." Gur-Rai said. "We just ran in last time and it almost got us all killed."

"Volk has ordered all Reapers to high ground." Elena said. "But I don't know how useful that will be, now that the high ground is...well." She gestured to the ruined buildings around them.

"I bet I can find a good roof or two." Gur-Rai looked behind him as Verge stood.

"Jane and Nazira are still injured." He said. "First let us take our wounded friends to safety."

"Have you seen what's around us?" Elena scoffed. "There is no safety."

"What about Zafar's residence?" Verge said. "If it still stands, it may serve well as a temporary shelter."

"Savitr was there." Mox said. "And I believe he is still, I have not seen him in the fray."

"Then we leave Jane and Nazira with him." Gur-Rai said. "And then we go kick that Elder's bony ass."

.

.

Kon-Mai stumbled as her chain caught on a piece of rubble, pulling her arms back over her shoulder and sending her tumbling backward. Malinalli scurried a few steps ahead before doubling back and helping the Chosen yank herself free, staggering to her feet.

"We have to get these chains off." She panted. "We keep getting stuck on shit."

"I am sure Dhar-Mon will be able to…" Kon-Mai assured her, hoping it would lift her spirits. Instead, Malinalli's face fell. She shook her head, and trying to draw the attention away from that blunder, Kon-Mai got to her feet and gathered up the chain in her fists, to ensure it was no longer dragging. "There is no time to dwell on false probability. Let us keep going. If not him, someone must be able to help us."

_*"That is correct."*_

The two stopped, their blood turning to ice as a familiar voice spoke behind them. They turned and stared into the cold, purple eyes of Dua-Zoar flanked by two of her brothers, their lances drawn.

_*"I don't understand why the Elders want you back, Cousin."*_ The hybrid woman sneered. _*"You are a failure in every sense of the word. A monstrous abomination in both attitude and form."*_

Kon-Mai tried to reach for her sword, but her cuffed hands made it so she couldn't hold it. Malinalli began backing away, and reached for Kon-Mai's arm to pull her along.

Dua-Zoar sauntered forward, as though she were taking a relaxing stroll. _*"You are impure and unclean, and everything you have been asked of, everything you have done, has ended in utter failure."*_ Dua-Zoar chuckled. _*"Look around you. Look at the Skirmishers, who you have pledged yourself to. Look at them bleed and die for someone who deserves nothing but the void."*_

Kon-Mai wanted to retort, she wanted to say something, but it felt as though this woman had stolen her words. She heard the firing of bullpup rifles, the snapping of ripjack cords, the screams of children too young to die...

_*"You are nothing but a reanimated corpse, slowly rotting away…"*_ Dua-Zoar lifted her lance. _*"...But I? I was forged in heaven's fire. Unlike you, I will not fail."*_

Kon-Mai closed her eyes. Deep breath in. Dua-Zoar smiled, the lance pointed towards the Shrinemaiden's throat.

But before she could bring the lance down, Kon-Mai swung her hands back, released the chain from her grip, and flicked it forward. It struck Dua-Zoar hard across the face, cutting a deep gash from her left brow to her right cheek. She let out a wail that could wake the gods, and Kon-Mai looked back at Malinalli. "RUN!"

"But-"

"RUN NOW!" The Shrinemaiden turned back to her adversary, but she could feel Malinalli was still hesitating. "I will follow!"

Dua-Zoar pointed behind Kon-Mai and shouted to her brothers, calling for them to chase the human girl, but Kon-Mai ducked forward and smashed into one of them like a linebacker, effectively stopping him. The other one slipped through her grasp, but she turned around and lassoed her chain around his ankle like a cowgirl taming a bull. He slid backward and stumbled, falling to his knees.

That distraction gave the other warrior an in, and he grabbed ahold of Kon-Mai's hair and yanked it back, nearly snapping her neck. She cried out in pain as he threw her down, rolling over on top of her, pressing his elbow into her chest. His teeth were even sharper than her own, and his eyes looked almost empty, despite the vague psionic glow.

_*"She may be ugly as sin, but she is strong."*_ He chuckled and he pressed down harder on Kon-Mai's ribs. She felt them straining under his weight. _*"The Elders want her back alive, Sister, but they did not say they want her back unbroken."*_

Kon-Mai's eyes widened, and she began to try and wrench herself away, sputtering protests that sounded as feeble as she felt. _*"The Elders made me a GOD, and even without their blessing, I am twice as powerful as you could ever dream! You will feel firsthand why they called me the Butcher of ADVENT!"*_

The lancer turned to Dua-Zoar, who was helping their other brother to his feet. _*"Sister, I request your permission to punish the Assassin for her insubordination. She is defiant. She must learn her place."*_ His words curled eerily on that last word.

Dua-Zoar smiled down at Kon-Mai. _*"You will be doing the Elders a great service, Guo-Shir."*_ She chuckled. _*"Perhaps your firm hand will be enough to remind her of how weak she truly is."*_

Guo-Shir turned back to his prey, and that was when Kon-Mai wrenched her hands out of his grip and elbowed him in the nose. He cried out in shock, and she flipped over onto her stomach and pushed herself up to her feet, an action that was enough to send him rolling off her back. She tried to straighten up and took one step towards freedom, but stopped as she felt the point of a lance against the small of her back.

_*"Never let your guard down, Assassin."*_ She chuckled.

A shiver ran up Kon-Mai's back, and those words sent her reeling as she fell to her knees. She closed her eyes, expecting pain. If not of death, or humiliation, then the agony of her bones and organs being crushed by her own mother's hand...

But neither came. Instead, she heard a scream, and felt faint, warm droplets of blood splatter onto her neck.

The shriek of terror and fury broke Kon-Mai from her trance, and she spun around just as Dua-Zoar's lance was wrenched from her grip and flung to the floor with a resounding CLANK. Guo-Shir was on the ground, unmoving, and the other brother seemed to be suspended in the air…

No. Their sister lifted her hands and shoved their assailant back, forcing them to drop her brother. It was too late for him, he fell to the ground in a pool of purple blood, but Betos looked past the red-scaled woman and smiled at Kon-Mai.

"Are you alright?" She asked, her deep voice like music.

Kon-Mai didn't have time to answer before Dua-Zoar flung herself forward, intending to tackle Betos to the ground. Instead, the Skirmisher woman caught her by her neck and threw her over her shoulder, slamming her into the ground._ *"You are despicable."*_ She said, her Etheric almost as smooth as the Chosens'. _*"But I expect no less from the Elders you adore."*_

Dua-Zoar hissed and struggled to her feet, and Kon-Mai looked around for something to help her break her cuffs. She smacked them against the sandstone walls a couple of times (doing more damage to the stone than the cuffs) before she had an idea. She closed her eyes, hands glowing with purple heat...

Behind her, Betos stumbled back as one of Dua-Zoar's kicks finally hit it's elite jumped up and grabbed her lance as Betos drew her ripjack, the clawed prongs on both her wrists primed and ready to spill blood. Behind her, a soft purple glow illuminated the alleyway, and Dua-Zoar was distracted for just a moment too long.

Betos struck first, dashing forward and bringing her knee up to kick Dua-Zoar in the stomach. The elite woman coughed, gasping, and stumbled back just in time for Betos to slash down toward her face. She lifted her arm up to stop the blades, but it cut through her sleeve and skin and right down to the bone, leaving a chunk of flesh hanging off her by the sinews. Dua-Zoar didn't even scream, just stumbled backward, dripping violet blood.

_*"It need not end this way."*_ Betos said, lowering her ripjack for just a moment. _*"Surrender now, Sister. We can help you."*_

Dua-Zoar met Betos' yellow eyes, then looked behind her as the purple glow rose to an all encompassing flame. There was a small explosion, and the sound of shattering glass, and the Shrinemaiden drew her sword, her wrists frayed but free.

_*"You are an idealistic fool, Betos."*_ Dua-Zoar hissed. _*"And you will die."*_ She spun on her heel, stumbling a bit, and dashed off into the chaos of the fight.

Breathing a long sigh of relief, Betos turned to Kon-Mai and looked like she was about ready to throw her arms around her. "Are you alright?"

Kon-Mai nodded. "They...did not get far."

"That does not erase the trauma of what could have happened. They could have killed you, or..." Betos took a breath. "But...I am glad you're alright."

Kon-Mai stepped forward, tempted to embrace her, to comfort her. Instead, she bowed low to this woman she considered her superior. "We must find my brothers."

"Where are they?"

"I lost sight of them when the radio tower collapsed " She admitted. "After that I was taken and...I am certain they must be alive..."

To her relief, Betos nodded. "Your brothers are strong men, and knowing them they are most likely worried for you." She gestured to follow her. "Let's not keep them waiting."

.

.

Gur-Rai felt Nazira stirring in his arms as he and Dhar-Mon ran for the house. She reached up, grabbing weakly at his lapels until he shifted her in his arms and took hold of her hand. "Easy now." He whispered.

"Where are we?" Nazira muttered.

"We're on the road." He said. "It's a…"

"A road trip?" She sounded confused, but that fall had been a doozy, and he wanted to keep her relaxed.

"Yeah. A road trip." He sighed. "And we're almost to a rest stop."

Zafar and Nazira's home was, ironically, the least destroyed of all the stone wall was partially caved in, but the ceiling was intact, as was the doorway. And as they ran for it, the curtain fluttered to the side, and a purple field stopped them in their tracks.

"Come no closer!" Savitr scolded, still holding his injured shoulder. Despite not being in the fight, he still looked beaten, his face scratched and dripping sienna blood. "Identify yourse-!"

"Let us in, Vallinor." Elena snapped. "I'm not in the mood to play Spy."

The shield fell faster than Savitr's face. "I'm sorry Lieutenant, I-"

Elena brushed past him, scanning the interior, then smiling. "Hello, all."

Chinonso, the XCOM medic, gasped and got to her feet. She hardly knew Elena, but in her state of panic, she threw herself into her arms and squeezed her. "Thank the MAKER! I thought everyone was dead!" To everyone's surprise, Elena seemed to hug her back.

"We're too pretty to die~" Gur-Rai matched her smile as he and Dhar-Mon followed Elena inside. Upon the rugs and pillows huddled various snakes, likely mostly juveniles, and a human couple with a baby in their arms. They seemed to spook at the sight of him, until he pointed to the XCOM insignia on his armor.

"It's okay. We're just here to drop off our pals." He slipped past them to the couch, and laid Nazira down. Dhar-Mon followed, setting Jane up against the wall, leaning on a pillow.

"What happened?" Chinonso went to Jane first. "It looks like she got hit by a bus!"

"A building, actually." Dhar-Mon sighed. "We were all under the radio tower when it...fell."

Chinonso looked at the two of them in disbelief. "...I gotta say, XCOM would be mighty boring without you two."

"I have been hiding what civilians I could." Savitr said as Mox approached him. "It's not many but-"

"It is more than enough." Mox pressed a hand to his shoulder. "Keep them safe. If the enemy breaks your shields, radio us for help."

"What is it like out there?" He asked. "Is Kon-Mai okay?"

"I do not know." Mox admitted. "But we will find her, and bring her back."

"Oh yes, we will." Gur-Rai growled. "Ain't no artsy-fartsy Elder walking off with _my _baby sister."

"Come, then." Dhar-Mon said, getting to his feet. "It is time we find them."

As Gur-Rai began to follow his brother, someone caught his sleeve. "Wait…"

He turned around, recognizing Nazira's voice, even though it was weak. "Hey…" He knelt beside her. "You're awake."

"You're okay." She whimpered, her eyes heavy. "I was so worried."

"Aw, don't be worried for me. I always get back up." He patted her cheek. "That was a good shot, by the way. You hit Imdugud.."

"I did?" Nazira giggled. "That'll show 'em."

"He'll know not to mess with you next time~" He planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Stay here, I'm gonna get Konnie."

"Will you come back?"

"Of course I will." Gur-Rai lifted Nazira's head and kissed her, and she weakly wrapped an arm around his neck. As they parted ways, he whispered against her lips "I'll always come back~"

At this public display of affection, Elena rolled her eyes. "...Pratal, kiss me."

"Okay." He took her by the shoulder and gave her a kiss on her bloody lips. "But why?"

"I'm not being out romanced by an 8 foot tall blue fish." She wrapped her arms around his neck, the blood on her lips mixing with his as she kissed him again.

.

.

The Holy Lancers refused to fall back, unlike the Troopers who had been the first to scatter when the going got tough. The Skirmishers emerged from the stone and woodwork, firing their guns into the air and slashing at them with their makeshift claws. The Reapers fired down upon them like a hail of bullets. The XCOM soldiers all around them fought tooth and nail. Even the Priests broke after that, all of them scattering into the desert. And yet, the Lancers held.

Zhang and Annette fought with desperation, as though this was their home. Hair in her face, Annette was barely hanging onto her power, and she felt like one stray bullet would send her into a supernova. To her right, the psionic "soldier" Princess was holding her own against a Purifier, but only barely, and when the Purifier's tank went up in flames, she screamed and fell back from the blast. There was another explosion, and rapid artillery fire as Tiwaz and Tisiphone were back to back, cornered.

Annette looked to Zhang, who seemed to be wrestling with a Holy Lancer. She let out a growl, sprinting forward toward her old friend and knocking all three of them down into a pile. The Lancer tried to grab at her hair, but Annette took their hand and bent it backwards. It made a sickening crack, and the Lancer screeched.

Zhang helped Annette to her feet, then pulled her aside as a stray grenade hit the spot where they had just been laying. He was panting, clearly exhausted, when he turned to her. "These things...were made to kill the Chosen."

"I know." Annette hissed.

"No, Annette." He shook his head. _"We can't win this fight."_

"What are you talking about? This fight has only just begun." She tried to pull him back into the battle. "Come on. We have to go."

"We're going to die."

"We're old, Zhang, we were going to die anyway." Annette squeezed his hand. "I'm just happy I got to die with you."

.

.

Her chains dragging on the ground, Malinalli limped through the shattered alleyways of what once was Dakhla. The screams of dying innocents had faded into the shouts of her comrades. She knew the voices she heard screaming in the night. Some were cursing the Elders. Some were calling for help. Some just screamed, and kept screaming.

She was quiet, utterly lost. Her green eyes shone in the darkness, and around the edges were tears that threatened to pour over on her cheeks. The dark sky was tinged red and purple and black. She looked up, and that was when she heard the click of a gun behind her.

_"Mor balaten!"_

She looked behind her. A lowly Trooper, even shorter than she was, stood behind her with his gun pointed at her head. At first, Malinalli felt the urge to laugh, but that would have gotten her shot.

Instead she turned around fully, shaking (not with fear but...something else?) and let the tears fall. "Are you going to kill me?"

The trooper looked taken aback, as if she just asked him to kill the Elders themselves. He shook his head fervently.

"Why?" She growled, feeling braver than she had before.

He didn't answer her, but he looked at her in disbelief, like she should know the answer.

"Why do you want me?" She demanded again. "You want my power, right? You want psionics, for...what?"

He shook his head, muttering something in Etheric that she didn't understand, and her temper flared.

"To hell with it." She gathered up her chain in her hands, her fingers glowing blue. "If you want my power so bad, **take it**!" She lashed the chain out like a whip, and as she did, it caught fire, green flames cutting straight through the trooper's helmet. He fell back, pulling the trigger as he fell. Malinalli gasped and stumbled backward, her hand clutching her stinging abdomen as she suddenly found it hard to breathe.

The trooper wasn't dead: he was in the process of getting back up when Malinalli raised her bloody hand. She felt hotter than she ever had before, like she had stepped into a furnace. Her hair, having fallen from its braid, hovered around her shoulders like a black cloud. The trooper fired at her legs, but his shots seemed to miss and only felled the sand below her feet, utterly useless.

"Leave me alone!" She snapped, closing her hand into a tight fist and pulling her arm to her chest.

The trooper held out his hand and took a step forward.

"GET AWAY!" She thrust her arm out, sending out a circular disk of green light that sent the trooper flying back into the air. As he fell into the sand, his body vibrating with green and blue sparks of light, Malinalli threw a shield over herself and hunkered down, trying to breathe when the slightest movement hurt.

Blood had already soaked through her uniform. She raised a hand, attempting to heal herself, but that sent a searing jab of pain up her arm and she stopped. Footsteps outside of her shield sent shivers down her spine.

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I am nobody." She hissed. "I'm a human girl who was thrown into this war! Just like you! Neither of us want to be here so just stop shooting!"

The Trooper suddenly stopped firing. For a moment, Malinalli felt a flood of relief. Maybe her words had gotten through…?

"I would not say you are nobody. In fact, you are much more special than you think.

Malinalli finally looked up. Instead of the trooper, before her stood a bald man, clad in purple. Beside him, two women, both cloaked in the glow of their psionic weapons.

"Geist…" Malinalli slowly lowered her shield. "And-"

"Medic." Tornike ran over as Malinalli dropped her shield, pulling the girl into a hug. The blond woman took her hand and helped her to her feet. "Habibti, she's hurt."

"Come here." Iabet ran over, and looking past them, Malinalli snuck a glance at Geist standing behind them, a smile in his glowing eyes.

"You all made it…" Malinalli said, her voice breathless as Iabet helped her sit.

"You think we'd miss the chance to take down an Elder?" Iabet chuckled. "Do not be silly."

"She is very silly." Tornike patted her head. "Where is the Warlock?"

"Hieromonk." Malinalli corrected. "I...don't know. We were under the radio tower when it collapsed."

"And the others?"

She shook her head, and a great quake rocked the foundation of the earth.

"That demon is going to tear this place apart." Tornike stood and gave Iabet a quick kiss. "I shall meet you at the gate, habibti. We cannot let this battle continue much longer."

"I love you, molgie!" Iabet called as her wife ran into the dark alley, her purple glow lighting the way. She turned back to Malinalli. "Do you have tweezers in your medkit?"

Malinalli nodded, opening the pocket on her thigh and holding Iabet the smaller tweezers. "Are you going to yank it out?" She realized she sounded like a child. "The bullet I mean, not any-"

"Yes." Iabet turned to Geist as he approached them. "What happens after this, Father?"

"Once we get the girl to safety, we find the Commander." He said. "Follow her every order as if it were mine."

Malinalli and Iabet both looked a bit shocked at that. "That is unusual for you."

"We are facing down a demon." He crossed his arms. "Now is not the time to argue over ideological differences. Now is the time to come together as psions and do what we do best."

"...Kick ass?" Malinalli piped up.

Iabet burst out laughing. "I like you, Medic." She said. "Hold still."

.

.

Throughout the Dakhla Oasis, the soldiers and the Chosen scurried frantically through dark halls and destroyed buildings in a desperate attempt to find each other. So desperate they were, in fact, that when Kon-Mai and Betos sprinted around a corner, the Shrinemaiden stumbled on her bad leg and crashed headfirst into Gur-Rai, sending the two sprawling on the ground.

Of course, once Kon-Mai realized who she had just run into, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him so tight she would have strangled him, had Dhar-Mon not pulled her off. She then whirled around and hugged him too.

"You're alive." She whispered into his neck. "I knew you were but…"

"But you feared we were not." He patted her back. "You may rest easy, Sister. We are unharmed."

"Mostly." Gur-Rai grunted as he stood, rubbing the side that had been skewered. "Where's Molly?"

"We were ambushed by that witch of a Holy Lancer and her brothers. The female one who seems to be their leader." Kon-Mai bore her teeth in a scowl. "I held them off as Malinalli escaped, and then I lost track of her."

Gur-Rai looked worried. "They cornered you? Are you okay?"

Kon-Mai nodded. "Betos...Betos saved me. She took care of everything."

Gur-Rai looked past her as Betos put her gun back in its holster. She stepped up beside Kon-Mai and put a hand on her arm.

"Now that we have all three Chosen…" Betos said "I believe we must take this opportunity. We should make a move on the Elder."

The silence that permeated the air was so thick, even Kon-Mai's blade couldn't have cut it. They looked around at each other, then back at Betos as though she was crazy.

Gur-Rai was the first to speak up. "That sounds like a great way to die."

"These elite soldiers, however much free will they have, still see the Elders as gods. If we can show them that their Elders are just as mortal as them, perhaps their ranks will break, and they will fall back." Betos insisted. "But I will not force your three to do this, especially after what you have already been through today."

Kon-Mai looked across at her brothers, who seemed to both be waiting on her to make a decision. She crossed her arms, shivering a bit. Her mother's hand could split her skin and crush her bones with merely a thought, and while Imdugud was weaker than Abyzou, without a doubt, he was not worth underestimating….

She looked out upon the ruins of the city, where the dead bodies had begun to pile high.

Then she drew her sword. "Brothers, are you with me?" She turned to them. "I will fight him alone if I must, but I cannot allow such suffering to continue."

"Hey, the family that rides together, dies together." Gur-Rai pulled his sister into another hug, and Dhar-Mon put a hand on his shoulder in agreement.

Kon-Mai clutched at Gur-Rai's sweater, still shaking.

.

.

The battle that raged within Dakhla was nothing compared to the lightshow outside of it. The two extraterrestrial beings clashed like waves, coming together and separating, charging at each other and slamming together in a flurry of sparks and colors before they parted ways again.

And Senuna felt herself slipping. She knew she was out of practice, but the fact that this bureaucrat was beating her at her own game was as humiliating as it was terrifying. She wanted to close her eyes, just for a second, surely a second wouldn't hurt, and her eyes were so tired…

No. Her soldiers were relying on her. Her Chosen were relying on her. _Her baby was relying on her._

She lifted her hands, her psionic bracers glowing as the pillar of light in her hands morphed into a trident. She knelt briefly, steadying herself, before charging forward. Imdugud held up his arms and pulled his fists closed, bringing the air itself towards him in a rush of wind that threw her off balance. She missed him by a mile, and cursed as she spun on her heel and hurled the trident towards him. He ducked, but only just barely.

**"You pride yourself so much on being a mother."** Imdugud's sneer was so prevalent in his voice, it shook her bones. **"And yet your pride will be your undoing. Look around you, Senuna. Would a mother allow her children to continue to suffer?"**

Don't listen. Don't listen. He was distracting her. She had to find his weaknesses, she knew they were there! She raised her arms again, and this time two orbs of light morphed into dual pistols. Their kickback was immense, but so was their impact, right into Imdugud's hip.

**"Are you really a mother if your own infant doesn't even remember you?"** He cooed, his voice dripping with fake sympathy that was almost strong enough to hide his pain. **"You are so quick to condemn our Elders, but at least their children know their faces. If you died right here, the poor thing would never even know to mourn you."**

Senuna clenched her fists, trying to keep her eyes open despite the tears. Her chest felt like it was tearing itself open. She was slipping, and slipping fast. She darted to the side as he lashed out, and this time his psionic lance hit her in the chest, sending her flying back. Her pistols flew back into the air and disappeared into the breeze.

She had to find an edge. Find something that would let her in. The chink in the armor of his soul…

"And if you died here, Imdugud, would anyone even notice?" It was a crapshoot, but his split second of silence told her she had hit something.

**"I am vital to the Great Three."** He asserted, and in his four hands, he formed a cloud of purple mist. **"I have practically run their empire for the last 20 years."**

"Really? Could've fooled me." She chuckled. "When was the last time you got any thanks?" She managed to get to her feet, but she stayed low, keeping her hands especially still to hide the blue at her fingertips.

Now he was silent for a full second. **"Serving them is thanks enough."** He lifted one hand and sent the cloud racing towards her, raining shards of what appeared to be glass.

"Oh Imdugud, you and I both know that that's a load of dust." She giggled, getting into a crouch and putting up a shield over her head. "At least on Thaumas, people knew your name. Even if it was because they were blaming you for mysteriously losing about 14,000 rationals worth of Elerium."

She felt him shake, vibrating the air as he did, and just like that, she had embedded herself in his side. She was in his head like he was in hers. The cloud above her waned and dissipated, and Senuna let the melted psi-waste trickle off into puddles of green and purple oil at her feet.

**"Was my mistake that grievous compared to ****_yours_****?"** He questioned.** "I hurt many, yes. I sent millennium old families into the pits of despair. Maybe some of them even died. But I never abandoned my own flesh and blood."**

"Because no one would have any with you." She wasn't going to slip this time, no matter how much she wanted to defend the actions of her past. "Not even old Nun-Barsegunu, and nobody wanted her. Nobody except for you."

**"She does not matter."** Imdugud's voice could barely contain the bile he wanted to spew. His fingertips were glowing purple and she saw them elongate into claws.

Oh, _now _she was getting to him.

"Then why did you follow her to her home? Why did you beg and plead for her to take you? Why did you love her so, Imdugud? Because you knew what it felt like to be unwanted. You were a pariah. Bitch and moan all you want, _Tessura_. At the end of the day, you're just like me~"

From the corner of her eye, Senuna saw a flash of purple, and from out of the darkness a figure came flying towards Imdugud's head. In his state, all his attention was focused on Senuna, and he was utterly unprepared for Geist's psionic blades digging into his shoulder and raking down his back. Imdugud let out a wail that shattered time around them, almost sending Senuna to her knees.

She raised her arms, her psionic bracers glowing as she called forth her shields. **"Geist, move!" **

Geist, for once, did not fight her. Imdugud raised his arms, purple lightning striking the sky and coming down right where Senuna was, but her shields covered her like a blanket, ensuring her safety.

**"Now it's time to play~"** She broke into a giggle, then a laugh. She charged forward, her fists glowing blue, and Imdugud raised his claws and swiped downward...

.

.

The sound of lightning and thunder drew everyone closer to the epicenter of the storm. The Chosen raised their hands over their eyes, and Gur-Rai looked down his scope. "I can't see fuckall!" He shouted.

"We must get closer!" Betos cried. "The Commander is within this storm, and with her Imdugud!"

"Son of a bitch!" Gur-Rai put a hand over his eyes and began pushing through the sandstorm, his siblings hot on his heels.

Dhar-Mon put his arm around his sister's shoulders and began pulling her along with him. Her own white hair was blowing in the wind. Kon-Mai looked up at him, blinking as the sand stung her eyes. "We cannot fight like this! This was a mistake!"

"If you wish to turn back…" He broke off quickly, as a colorful light caught his eye.

To their right, the group saw two glowing shapes moving through the clouds. Gur-Rai cocked his gun and took aim, hesitating more than he otherwise would if he could see. "Who's there?!" He shouted, though he doubted the other party could hear him.

"Identify yourself!" Betos came up on his side, how bullpup cocked and ready. The two of them watched in anticipation as the blue...no, green light came through the clouds…

Dhar-Mon gasped, then coughed loudly as gasping meant he inhaled sand. "MALINALLI!" He shouted.

Gur-Rai squinted and, through the haze, saw her black hair flying wildly. There she was, all right, the psychic medic. She was leaning on the shoulder of a Templar woman, who looked up at the sound of his brother's voice. She shook the girl, and Malinalli looked up and waved madly upon seeing them.

"Malinalli!" Dhar-Mon shouted through the clouds. He turned to his sister. "I...I must-"

"Go." She chuckled. "Go on, now. Go see her."

Betos jumped in, taking hold of Kon-Mai, her arm around her waist as she pulled the taller woman close in the chaos of the storm. Dhar-Mon sprinted through the wind and sand, and Malinalli followed suit, breaking into an uneven jog towards him. The clouds nearly engulfed them both, but they both saw each other clearly as they drew closer.

As he saw her limping, Dhar-Mon dove forward, stretching his arm out in time to catch Malinalli before she toppled over into the sand. She grabbed hold of his collar and hauled herself up, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder. He could barely hear her voice, but he did not need to, for in his mind, he felt the waves upon waves of relief washing over her. "You're alive. You're alive."

"I am here." His own thoughts were just as desperate, but he tried to cover them with an air of calm. "And I will never leave you again"

She pulled away, and he lifted her up so they were eye to eye, and she was sitting in his arms. Her face was bruised and cut, and she ran a hand over a long, red scratch over his lip.

"Promise me." She demanded.

"I promise." He said it without even the slightest hesitation, and her bright green eyes welled with tears.

Then she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

It lasted only a moment. It took him completely by surprise. But for that moment, their minds were bonded once again. He tasted a bit of blood and salt, but mostly he felt the warmth of something very soft and delicate and electrifying engulfing him...

It didn't last long. He heard Iabet shout for them, and then to their right, a burst of blue and green light.

.

.

Senuna slid back, first on her heels, and then falling onto her back. She rolled over, getting out of the way just as Imdugud brought the psionic harpoon down into the sand she'd just been laying in.

**"YOU ARE A WITCH AND A TRAITOR!"** Imdugud was absolutely seething with rage. **"YOU ABANDONED YOUR FAMILY AT WILL! I HAD NO CHOICE! I WAS CAST ASIDE!"**

**"You were exiled because you're a terrorist and a fraud!"** Senuna jumped up and clapped her wrists together. The sound waves spread out in a circle of light, spinning and coagulating into a circular blade, spinning like a buzz saw. **"I did what I did to protect those I love! ****_Nobody ever loved you!_****"**

The wind picked up. Her white hair whipped around her in a furious frenzy, and Imdugud's glowing eyes were all she could see. She sprinted forward, aiming straight for where she assumed his face was-

And let out a twisted screech, as his hand closed around her throat. Her hands clawed at his grey arm, tearing off his weathered skin, but the blue light around her was slowly eclipsed by purple.

**"I've never been one for superstitions."** Imdugud growled. **"But even after all this time, they still whisper your name. Senuna. The Ancient One. Daughter of the Moon and Sun. You aren't hardly the hero they say you are."**

**"You're right…"** She let her hands fall limp, only one still glowing blue. **"I'm not a hero..." **She gasped.** "...It's not my story."**

Imdugud did not see the light until it had engulfed him.

.

.

Gur-Rai fell back, his eyes flashing with spots after that blast. Kon-Mai grabbed at his arm, but she was on the ground too, with Betos under her. Gur-Rai was sure the Skirmisher wasn't moving.

He opened his eyes hesitantly. His brother and Malinalli were a ways away; he could see the vague aura of purple and green light. The Templar woman, Iabet, had rushed into the fray, but had been stopped by the blast, which must have done a number on her because she was now dragging herself across the ground. He was hesitant to look toward the epicenter but…

He had to. Her draw was irresistible.

Gur-Rai looked towards the woman in white. And there she was, hovering mere inches off the ground, her white locks spinning around her like ribbons. Her hands, her fingers, her eyes, all glowed with green and blue and hints of orange light. The aura around her was as blinding as it was deafening. Her green eyes flickered to him for just a moment and he knew she saw everything he was, everything he could have been. He held her stare, not daring to look away, and Senuna smiled.

If the Commander didn't scare him before, she really did now.

Imdugud's light was completely drowned out by hers, and at this point he seemed to be struggling just to hold his own against her. Gur-Rai could see the shadow of his form within the cloud of sand, but it was only just that: a shadow and nothing more. He reached out all four arms to try and cast a dampener on her light, but she clenched her fist and pulled his own energy in towards her, then re-released it, knocking the Elder backward.

The storm around them picked up, and Kon-Mai wrapped her arms around Gur-Rai and Betos, bracing her own back against the wind. The sand covered everything around them, obscuring all vision, and the heat was nearly eviscerating. Gur-Rai held tight to his sister, still unable to close his eyes. Through the sand, he could see Imdugud's shadow gyrating and twisting, his arms flailing wildly, searching for something to grab onto, but all around him was air and sand and glass. Gur-Rai heard the shadow begin to scream, and Kon-Mai braced herself against him, her whole body shaking as the sound tore at her delicate ears. The cacophony was beginning to make even him sick...

Blue tendrils exploded from the center of the storm. The clouds released a great cry of thunder. The world shook violently and for a moment, they were all sure they would be thrown asunder…

And then the wind died as suddenly as it had risen. The sand in the air rained down around them like snow. Gur-Rai finally blinked, Kon-Mai slowly released her hold on her loved ones, and Malinalli and Dhar-Mon opened their eyes to the horror before them.

Imdugud lay in pieces. Glowing bits of what looked like geode rocks were tossed about the sand, and it was only upon seeing that one piece was connected to the remains of a spindly hand, did they all collectively realize that the supernatural storm had literally torn the Elder apart.

As the purple glow dissipated, they all looked up to where Senuna stood, holding a mass of still pulsating grey and purple flesh, slowly crumbling to particles of violet light in her grasp. She met Malinalli's eyes, and for a moment, the human girl saw a flash of joy and relief. Her Commander mouthed something; something Malinalli could not hear or understand.

Then Senuna stumbled, her hand falling limp and the remains of Imdugud's heart cascading to the ground in a shower of grey dust and purple light. Her eyes fluttered, and a dribble of blood ran down her nose, dropping onto her white uniform.

Senuna fell to her knees and collapsed in the sand, unmoving.

.

.

A scream rang out that shook the very earth, and Dua-Zaor felt her blood run cold. She had never tasted the sting of failure so sharply.

Imdugud was dead. She felt the shift in psionic energy, felt his pulse fading on the breeze that was beginning to carry away the black clouds. Drawing her lance and blocking the attack from an XCOM ranger, she let out a scream and gave one last thrust of her blade, deep into the woman's chest. One last kill.

Then she touched a hand to her ear. _*"We are compromised. Fall back."*_

_*"What?"*_ One of her sisters cried defiantly. _*"We cannot be!"*_

_*"Vox Imdugud is dead…"*_ Dua-Zoar's voice was heavy. _*"We have failed."*_

_*"Where do we go? The portal is closed!"*_

_*"Go east, towards the Red Sea. There we shall make the journey home."*_ She let her hand drop, and as weapons dropped and her brothers and sisters began to sprint to freedom, she wondered if they would ever see home.

She looked down at her lance, and finally understood why Kon-Mai Mordenna had sliced open her belly the night she'd lost to XCOM.

.

.

The sky cleared slowly, revealing the soft light of the early day, with the sun just peaking above the warm horizon. Down in the oasis, the Avenger pulled up to the stone roads, or what remained of them, and immediately the survivors rushed into action.

Dhar-Mon pushed aside the flap of one of the medical tents, Malinalli in his arms. She struggled a bit. "Put me down, I'm healed, I need to help everyone else."

"You are just as injured as everyone else." He looked around for an empty bed: instead of the clean environment of the XCOM infirmary, the sandy ground was covered in tarps and blankets, where the hundreds of injured were laid out, all in various degrees of hurt. Some looked to be barely beaten, sitting up in mild discomfort or confusion. while others were nearing death's door. Dhar-Mon chose a soft-looking blanket in the center and set Malinalli down on it gently. "Rest here." He pressed a hand to her cheek. "I will be back soon."

She caught his hand. "Then you need to get checked too." She said. "You had a building fall on you!"

"It was your shield that took most of the impact." He assured her. "I must direct my siblings here as well, and then I will allow myself to be examined."

Malinalli hesitated, but she slowly let go of his hand. "Promise?"

"I promise." He brushed a stray lock of curly hair behind her ear and stood up. "I will always return to you, Malinalli."

Malinalli smiled. "Dhar-Mon!" She called out as he turned away. "I love you!"

He stopped, looking back at her, and smiled. "And I love you." It was as he turned back towards the tent flap that he saw his brother pulling it aside. He stopped, watching.

"Hold him steady!" Gur-Rai called, as Kon-Mai shouldered her way in. She carried a limp figure in her arms, dripping green blood from it's head, and Dhar-Mon stood to the side to allow her through. She was moving a bit slowly, but steadily as she carried the person in her arms to a foil tarp and laid him down.

"Medic!" She waved an arm, and Dhar-Mon saw Malinalli begin to sit up. He quickly ran over and held her shoulder, keeping her from jumping up.

"The others will help…" He said, now getting a closer look at the figure of Zafar, lying limp on the mat. At first, Dhar-Mon wondered if Kon-Mai had just brought him here to keep him from rotting in the sun, but soon he saw the soft rise and fall of his chest. The Thin Man was alive.

.

.

Before the sky had fully cleared, a black clad figure dashed out from the Avenger, towards the three glowing silhouettes. They swarmed around a glow of white and blue, covering the figure on the ground in a soft blanket as the man in black came and scooped her up.

Bradford dashed onto the ship before anyone could truly get a look at the bundle in his arms, or notice the familiar white hair flying behind it. Zhang and Annette were hot on his heels, and Geist himself slipped right through the doors of the Avenger and kept up without anyone even considering that he was there. Tygan was already at the infirmary doors, the other soldiers watching as they pushed past to a bed farthest from the front. Bradford laid down his package, and Tygan closed to curtain around the bed, ensuring privacy.

Zhang was the only one who pushed the curtain aside and moved to the bedside, watching as Bradford unwrapped the unconscious Commander. Her eyes were half-open, and the amount of blood still dripping from her nose made even Zhang nervous.

Tygan was cursing under his breath, and Zhang looked up at him. "Is she dead?"

"No." He sighed as he began strapping a heart-rate monitor to her chest. "But she is very, very close. The amount of energy she expunged was nearly enough to stop her heart."

"Why would she do this?" Bradford muttered.

"Her soldiers were on the brink of death." Zhang said. He looked like he had something else he wanted to add, but as met Bradford's troubled gaze, it was clear he didn't need to.

"She's too important to be pulling crap like this." Bradford shook his head and moved close enough to take hold of Senuna's limp hand. Her fingers were tingly, but strangely cold. "The Resistance can't lose her..._I _can't lose her."

"This was an extenuating circumstance." Tygan admitted as he began pulling sticky electrodes off a clear bad and pressing them around Senuna's forehead.

"It was." Zhang admitted. "...This was another Elder."

Bradford and Tygan were silent, and Annette pushed the curtain aside briefly. "Zhang." She called out to her friend. "Is she alive?"

He nodded to her. "Is Geist outside?"

"He is in the hallway." Annette shifted uncomfortably.

Zhang smiled. "Tell him I'll meet him in the bar soon, if he can wait for me that long."

Annette nodded. "...Take care of Senuna."

Tygan pushed a few buttons on the large machine as it whirred to life, vibrating briefly before setting into a steady hum. "From the emerging sunlight, I assume the Elder is dead?"

"Imdugud, and yes. He's currently sand." Zhang chuckled. "She ripped him...not even limb from limb. She completely decimated him. He's just...bits of flesh in the dirt."

Bradford blinked, and couldn't hold back a shudder as he looked down. The Commander's eyes were still faintly glowing. As he squeezed her hand, her fingers twitched slightly.

.

.

The panic and fury that permeated Dakhla soon gave way to a deep, cold wave of grief. In the weeks that followed, everyone mourned. Hundreds had died in the siege of Dakhla, hundreds more were injured and disfigured by the cruelty of the soldiers.

In the days that followed, those who could walk searched among the remains of their home, looking for the bodies of loved ones. Many were found torn apart or burned almost beyond recognition. Many more seemed to have been simply spirited away. Those who survived were scarred, mentally and physically. Zafar himself, upon being scooped out of the sand, was completely unable to recognize anyone besides his own sister. The shock of losing his eyes nearly left him comatose and, according to the medics, would have killed him if he'd been left there any longer.

It was almost enough to make Volk shed a tear. Almost.

The Templars took charge of collecting and keeping vigil over the dead, sending them off as gently as they could. The Skirmishers mourned not only their fallen brothers, but all the hybrids who had been felled, much to the chagrin of others. The Reapers kept a constant watch over the town, the black figures standing guard, lest hell raise once again to try and pull them down.

He heard soft, familiar footsteps, and looked behind him to see Betos approaching the medical tent. She had her own cuts and bruises from the fight, but her yellow eyes were bright. "Where is Geist?" She asked.

"Inside, buttering him up." Volk scoffed.

"Geist? Butter? You are being funny." Betos shook her head. "...I have been watching them bury the dead all morning. There are so many."

"Yeah…" Volk pinched the bridge of his nose. "...Reapers never forget those who fall. We might not grieve openly, but we grieve for years. It's…"

"It is not healthy." Betos said, placing a hand on his back. "...Especially when you mourn those who are not dead."

Volk stiffened at her implication. "...Let's just go talk to him." He pushed the flap aside. "Ladies first."

Betos side-eyed him as she entered the tent, and as he followed, his ears were immediately assaulted with the groans and coughs of the sick and injured. They made their way down the lanes of humans and hybrids and snakes, until they came to one.

Nazira looked up, her green eyes lined with red. "Brother." She said gently, patting Zafar's hand. "Volk and Betos are here."

Zafar looked around, as if expecting to see them, and even with the gauze packed into the open wounds, Volk cringed at the damage he saw.

"I am here." Betos sat down on Zafar's left, beside Geist. "It is an honor, Zafar. You have built a strong and wonderful town."

"If only you could have seen it before…" His voice was hoarse and shaking with emotion. "When we were peaceful…"

"Peace doesn't come easy." Volk sat beside Nazira on Zafar's right. "I'm Volk. Konstantine Volikov. It's an honor to finally meet you, Zafar."

"A shame you must see me in this state." Zafar reached for the pillow behind his head, and Nazira moved in quickly to adjust it for him. "But we had a deal before all of this. You needed a home for your people, did you not?"

Volk nodded, then remembered Zafar couldn't see him. "Yes...we did. And we're willing to help you rebuild."

"The Reapers have never liked hybrids." Zafar said. "They have definitely never liked the Vipers. I remember seeing some of your kind wearing snakeskin."

"Yeah, that's Cruzita's work." Volk sighed. "She's an outlier. I'll make it clear to her that she's gotta start finding other material to make her coats out of."

"Oh I'm sure she'll take that well." Nazira sneered.

"I'm the Alpha, she'll listen." He grumbled, casting a glare her way. He was really glad Zafar couldn't see this.

"If you require help from the Skirmishers, I will be glad to leave a platoon here." Betos added.

"I have asked enough…" Zafar began, but Geist stopped him, coughing to cut him off.

"This attack proves that ADVENT is actively seeking out havens to raid, and seeing as you were one of their agents, you had reason to believe the risk was great…" Geist looked around to his comrades. "Not only do I believe Dakhla will need reinforcements, but the rest of the small asylums of this world are in serious danger."

Outside, the sun's light danced across the valley.

.

.

Kon-Mai stared down at the dandelion in her hand, the slight breeze tickling the yellow petals. Around the edges, she saw the green was beginning to fold, and soon the flower would be sealed away.

"Hey, the dandelions are in bloom." She felt something land beside her and looked over at Gur-Rai, who had plopped down in the grass amidst the flowers.

Kon-Mai chuckled and sank to her knees beside him, twisting the stem of the flower in her hand. "At least they survived that awful night."

"Hey, that awful night will soon fade into memory." Gur-Rai patted her back. "In 20 years, it;ll feel like just another bad dream."

"20 years? I hope the war doesn't last that long."

"No, I mean when the war is over." He plucked a flower from the grass. "Once we finally hand the Elders their eviction notice."

Kon-Mai tucked her legs under her, barely even noticing the slight discomfort in the one that had been broken. She said nothing in response to him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"We won, today." He said.

Kon-Mai looked up to see he was already smiling at her.

"I know it doesn't feel like it." He admitted. "But we won."

"...I know." She leaned back against his shoulder. "A total victory with fanfare and lights and love...that is not always how it comes about."

"Well." He wrapped her in a tight hug. "Konnie, I'm not the Elders, really my opinion matters less than anyone else's on...anything. But if you need love, I'm your big brother. You need look no further than me."

"And me." The grass shook as Dhar-Mon sat on her other side, taking her hand. "There is no need for despair anymore, Sister."

"I'm not despairing." She smiled. "Not like I was before."

.

.

The infirmary was dark, the lights kept low to allow the recovering patients time to sleep. In the corner of the room, a soft blue glow emanated from behind the closed curtain…

Malinalli shifted her weight off of her hip, which still stung a bit, and waited. She waited for someone to stop her from opening this Pandora's box. But no one would.

She had to see her.

She envied the Shrinemaiden, and her ability to make her heavy steps as silent as the wind. Malinalli took a few soft steps toward the bed...and then closed the rest of the distance in seconds, took the curtain, and peeked inside.

She had never seen her Commander in such a sorry state, with wires attached to her forehead, and bandages about her chest and arms. Her skin was patchy and rubbed raw, and burns along her temples and her hairline were beginning to peel.

Malinalli stepped toward her, hesitant to touch. "...Madam?" She whispered softly.

Senuna seemed to move her head towards the sound of her voice. But maybe she'd imagined that.

"...I know what you are." She tried to make her voice sound gentle. "I know there's more here than I'll ever understand…" Malinalli reached out and let her own fingers brush against Senuna's. "And I'm scared. I'm really, really scared...but I'm also here if you need me."

Senuna's fingers twitched in her grip.

"I'm here." She said, kneeling down. "There's no turning back now, Madam. I know…" She broke off as Senuna's eyes opened, still swirling with green and blue light. "Madam?"

"Malinalli…" Senuna looked up at her, blue eyes shining with light and with tears. Reaching up, she pressed a pale, shaking hand to the medic's cheek, and Malinalli felt her own tears spill over.

"I know." Malinalli said softly.

Senuna's face lit up for a moment. "You know? You know about…" She trailed off, and Malinalli saw her smile morph into a look of fear..

"I know you're an Ethereal." Malinalli said, and watched as Senuna's face fell.

"Oh…" Senuna sounded disappointed, even if she tried to hide it with a laugh.

.

.

They did not need to be told Vox Imdugud was dead. All of them felt the shift within the void. Silence carried the chamber, as the remaining Ethereals took that moment to mourn their fallen colleague.

Camazotz stared out into the black ocean, watching an Anglerfish dance outside the window, it's light bobbing, leading it's prey towards their doom.

**"This changes nothing."** Abyzou said behind him. **"Imdugud betrayed us in his failure."**

**"Of course."** He reached behind him and wrapped one of his long arms around her waist. **"And who in their right mind would do such a thing?"**

* * *

Summary: The chapter continues where the last left off, with Senuna facing down Imdugud at Dakhla. She gives the order for her soldiers to attack, and Kon-Mai uses the confusion to break herself and Malinalli out if Imdugud's grasp. They duck into an alleyway and attempt to make a run for it before they are cornered by Dua-Zoar and her brothers. Malinalli escapes, but Kon-Mai stays back to hold them off, and is pinned to the ground by Guo-Shir, another Holy Lancer. While he intends to use this lull in action to his advantage, he is distracted long enough that Kon-Mai is able to punch him and escape. She is briefly caught again, before Betos saves her.

Across Dakhla, Gur-Rai and Dhar-Mon take the injured to Zafar's home, where Savitr has been holed up with those he's managed to rescue. They go out searching for their sister and Malinalli, and run into Kon-Mai and Betos later, where they decide to go after Imdugud and put a stop to the siege once and for all.

Meanwhile, Malinalli is cornered by a trooper, and uses her psionic abilities to subdue him, getting shot in the process. Geist and two of the Templars, Iabet and Tornike, swoop in to help, and later Iabet and Malinalli meet up with the rest of the Chosen. Malinalli and Dhar-Mon are reunited, and the two finally share a kiss, just before the confrontation between Senuna and Imdugud comes to a head.

After taunting each other during their fight, Imdugud is caught off guard by Geist, which gives Senuna an opening. She is stopped, briefly, but in a stunning display of psionic power, tears the Elder (literally) to shreds. However, the display takes a toll on her body, and she collapses.

By the end, Dakhla and all the injured parties begin the process of healing. Senuna is in critical condition, and Zafar is completely blind, but alive. The factions stay in Dakhla to begin burying the dead and helping rebuild, and the Chosen sit out in the field of dandelions, reflecting.

(Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed out "little" season finale, I know this is a couple weeks late, and I apologize. It's been a very difficult couple of weeks.

Which brings me to my next point: I'm going to be taking a brief break, about a month, to catch up on this story and get on top of my work again. You've probably noticed I've been falling behind on my schedule, and I want to take some time to get on top of my writing again, as well as my other work I've been neglecting. And I think now is a good time to do that.

Expect chapter 37, the first "episode" of "season 2," to be out Saturday, November 14th! Until then, shoot me a message, leave a review or ask my characters questions! I'll still be around, and I see everything~)


	37. Time To Rebuild Ourselves

**(Content warning: this chapter contains brief descriptions of gore, death, and attempted suicide.)**

_The sound of gunfire bouncing off metal walls, the flash of exploding grenades, the bright purple light as psionic energy danced throughout the room, it was all too much. Malinalli kept her head down as the battle raged on around her. She was no fighter, she was a medic._

_Benigno, the rookie, was out there with a gun. He was braver than her, and also a better shot, so there was no point in stopping him when he ran out into the open, away from cover, and began firing at the silver coffin suspended in a shroud of psionic energy. _

_Malinalli looked up in time to see a purple shadow appear beside him, and the squint of magenta eyes. She shouted for her friend to move as the Assassin's sword shimmered in the light, and she swiped upward with her arm, cutting across his shoulder. His gun blocked a good amount of damage, but her blade clipped into his arm and blood went splattering from the wound. Malinalli knew it looked worse than it was, but that certainly didn't stop Benigno from panicking at the sight._

_Malinalli ducked down, holding her breath as the Assassin looked toward her, next. She felt her gaze, deep and cunning, and then heard her sheath her blade and vanish in the wind._

_"We're losing this fight." Jane said over the comms. "Something needs to be done."_

_"And something will!" She then heard the voice of Jaya, their psi-op, and saw her mane of white hair pop up on the other side of the room. "Molly, I suggest you move…"_

_Malinalli got up and began to make her escape, just as a void rift opened up where the Assassin was standing. She tumbled backward, barely managing to catch herself as the black hole pulled her toward it. Thankfully, she did not have to hold on for long, because the singularity collapsed in upon itself, sending the Assassin and all standing nearby tumbling across the room. Malinalli rolled across the floor, sliding to a stop before she hit the wall._

_She looked up. The Assassin was beside her, groaning as she tried to get to her feet. If this mission were that simple, the XCOM medic could have drawn her own gun and shot her. But it was never so simple._

_There was an explosion from the front of the room, and Malinalli saw the Assassin look up in horror, despair written on her face. Her coffin was a shattered mess of metal and stone, now, vibrating as it tried to hold itself together._

_There would be no regeneration if she fell in battle. She looked up towards Malinalli, and the two locked gazes, the Assassin expressed a deep, intrinsic horror that the medic had seen on many a soldier's face._

_Malinalli reached out one arm to her, but the Assassin disappeared in a shower of purple light and reappeared before her sarcophagus, the other soldiers rising to their feet and emerging from behind cover. She panted hard, struggling to stand on shaky legs, blood dripping from the cuts and scratches on her face. Her armor was just as banged up on the outside as the Assassin probably was on the inside. Her arm shaking, she looked back at her ruined harbor once, and then and pointed her sword toward the crew._

_"Go then, XCOM." She hissed. "Fire your final shot."_

_Jaya pulled out her gun, looking like she was going to take her up on that. And so Malinalli, ignoring the pain in her sides, sprang to her feet and held up her hands. "NO!" She shouted. "No...no."_

_The room held the silence for a moment. The Assassin lowered her sword arm slowly. "...What did you say?"_

_"We aren't here to kill you…" Malinalli continued, her hands still up as she moved towards the Assassin. "We're going to bring you in."_

_Jaya scowled, and Malinalli could feel Jane watching her, waiting to see how this tug of war would play out._

_"We can end this without bloodshed…" Malinalli insisted. "No one has to die today."_

_She saw the Assassin glare at her with glowing purple eyes, her expression oozing the feeling of betrayal. Malinalli felt as though she had broken some sacred covenant by doing this, but orders were orders, and she was a medic, not a killer._

_The Assassin closed her eyes, and seemingly resigned, fell to her knees upon the floor._

_"You have fought well, XCOM." She gasped as she reached for the dagger hidden in her sword handle. Pulling it free and raising it into the air, she closed her eyes, taking just a moment to accept her fate of death by her own hand. "May you reclaim this world…"_

_"NO-" Malinalli jumped forward_

_"-FOR YOUR OWN!"_

.

.

The girl with eyes of blue and green stared down at Lothar's cold body. Decomposition had set in, and while they hid what parts of the rot they could, she could see the wounds of time in his face. She and the other volunteers been working to bury people all morning, some of them barely her own age, but this one, though, had a particular sting.

Malinalli looked over to Vicky as she climbed out to the grave she'd dug. "I...think that's deep enough…"

"You think?" Malinalli raised a brow. "Six feet means six feet. Want me to get one of the Chosen to stand in it? Help you measure?"

She shook her head. "No. It's six feet." She assured her. "I'm sorry. I'm just never really sure about...anything, anymore."

Malinalli sighed. "...It's okay...help me get him in."

They picked up Lothar's stiff body, wrapped neatly and tightly (save for his exposed head) in a white shroud. It took a bit of work: neither woman was especially strong, but they lowered their old friend into his grave and began the process of tossing the dirt back onto his body.

Stopping for only a moment, Malinalli rose and looked out over the field of graves. It seemed to span as far as the eye could see: so many had died in the siege of Dakhla. She wished she could tend to the living instead.

"Malinalli." A deep and familiar voice said behind her.

She turned, smiling and raising her arms, and Dhar-Mon plucked her from the hole and put her back on the grass. He ran a finger over the smudge of dirt on her cheek, exposing her freckles to the light once again. The scratches and bruises on both their faces had healed, now all that was left was the emotional toll this battle had on all of them.

"Am I needed?" She asked.

"No...I mean yes, um…" He looked down, blushing purple.

She giggled. "I know." In these few weeks since the battle, there was not often time to show affection except in the few moments they could steal away together, occasionally in the privacy of the desert night. "Did you just come to see me, then?"

"I am here to offer my help. Burying the dead is a taxing job."

"Someone's gotta do it." She looked over to Vicky, who was still tossing handfuls of dirt onto Lothar's corpse. "It's just...heavier when it's a friend."

Dhar-Mon pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Lothar was a good man. He gave his life for this cause, and I know he would do it again." He looked past her. "...If you like, I can say some words."

"Words?" She nodded. "..Yeah. Like a eulogy. I think we'd all like that…"

.

.

Kon-Mai breathed in the sun-warmed air that encircled her this afternoon. She could hear the bustle of the town behind her, the small oasis beginning to breathe again after it's long, silent sleep.

She heard shuffling to her left, and let out a sigh. "Still yourself, Brother. Meditation requires focus."

"Okay." Gur-Rai whispered, and for a moment he was still, but she could still feel his heart beating at almost twice the speed as hers. Then he shuffled again, at first trying to adjust his position, then he began tapping his fingers against his knee.

She opened one eye and looked over at him, at first about to snap at him for making noise, but something else came to her mind. "...Does that help?"

"Help what?" He asked, his eyes still closed.

"You have been tapping your fingers this whole time." She added, deciding to abandon her own attempt at meditating for now.

Gur-Rai looked down at his fingers, still drumming across his knee. "Didn't really realize I was doing it, actually."

"And you still are."

"...It feels nice?" He clenched his fist. "Sorry. I'll stop if it's distracting."

She hesitated for a moment. "No, it isn't." She chuckled. "I am glad if it helps you." She got to her feet and held a hand out to him, pulling him to his feet when he took it.

"We done already?" He chuckled. "So what's next on the training regimen, _Sensei?"_

His sister grimaced at him calling her that. "I would take the time to visit the gymnasium on the ship, but at the moment there is still help to be given to the survivors, especially those who are still healing."

"Aw, Sister, if you need a spotter for weightlifting, I'd be happy to step up~" Gur-Rai chuckled. "But I know Dhar-Mon would be a better fit."

"I am aware." She chuckled. "Did you _ever_ even use the recreational equipment in your stronghold?"

"Sure. Those benches were very comfy." Gur-Rai followed Kon-Mai as she made her way through the stone buildings. The dirt and rubble from people's destroyed homes still littered the streets, but around them, the humans and Vipers and hybrids were beginning to rebuild.

Kon-Mai rolled her eyes at Gur-Rai's answer. "This is why you are such a scrawny thing."

"Look Sis, guns require some upper body strength, but everything else is skill. And I have that in spades~" He held aside the tent flap for her and gestured for her to lead the way into the medical tent. "Age before beauty."

Kon-Mai stared at him for a moment, wondering if he had done that purposefully, then stepped inside the tent.

It was only about half as populated as before. Many of those who had come in after the battle had recovered enough to spend their remaining time resting at home. Others had not recovered, instead their souls had slipped away under the cover of night, leaving the physical world behind. The thought of it made Kon-Mai shudder a bit, considering how close she herself came to death.

"On your left." She heard Nazira say, and she moved to the right to give her room. Nazira led her blind brother by the arm, and he was leaning on her heavily despite the cane in his right hand. In fact, he held it lightly and loosely, dragging it back and forth across the ground.

"I'm in front of you, buddy." Gur-Rai said, taking care to make a lot of noise as he moved around to Zafar's right. "Now I'm on your right.''

"Yes, I can tell." Zafar smiled, but he seemed somewhat irked. "My ears are becoming more sensitive each day."

"Why not have Dhar-Mon teach you psionics?" Gur-Rai asked. "If I went blind, stars forbid…" He seemed to shudder a bit but Kon-Mai couldn't tell how serious it was "...Well, if I went blind, you can BET I'd be leaning on what psionic aptitude I DO have."

"That is the difference, Darkstrider." Zafar mused. "You have it. My sister and I can barely conjure up a spark. Our race of Vipers is not in the least bit psionically adept."

Kon-Mai moved back to the tent flap, holding it open for the two. "Do you plan on leaving?"

"Leaving? What for? You all still need us dearly~" Nazira giggled.

Kon-Mai blushed. "...I meant leaving the tent."

"No, not at the moment." Zafar said. "The sounds out there are...far too much."

Kon-Mai nodded in understanding. "My hearing is also much stronger than the average." She let the flap drop away. "It does get better with time."

"I hope it will…" Zafar reached up to touch the bandage covering his eyes, or where his eyes used to be. "...Much of this feels like it was not meant to be. But then again, I was not meant to break free…"

Gur-Rai shuffled his feet and cleared his throat, attempting to change the subject. "That's a nice cane!" He said, looking at the rod in Zafar's hand. "Lemme guess, Shen made it?"

"She did not, actually." Nazira piped up. "It was an old gift."

"A gift?" Gur-Rai leaned against a very unstable tent pole. "Is someone else trying to woo you away from me, Nazira?"

"Do you think I'd ever do that to you?" Nazira blew him a kiss. "And no, we've had that thing lying around. It was a gift from the Black Market…What's the boss's name?"

"Nuwa." Zafar clarified. "When we first began our business with her. She gave it to me in good faith and I must say...it has been useful."

"Didn't know you were trading with her, too." Gur-Rai raised a brow.

"We were trying to. But getting shipments to and from…" Zafar sighed and began to feel around with his cane for the edge of the pathway, the metal rod thumping against tarps and poles and sleeping bags. "It was nigh impossible, really. Another reason for XCOM to...Sister, would you help me?"

"This way." Nazira went out in front of him, holding her hand out to him. "I'm going to pull you just a bit. Follow this way, to your left...no, other left."

"Nazira, that's right."

"Well who's to say what's right and wrong anymore?" She laughed.

"Not the Elders." Gur-Rai winked.

"Definitely not the Elders." Nazira smiled up at Kon-Mai. "So I was thinking, Shrinemaiden, I know you might be leaving soon, but...if you're still willing to teach me-" "You want to try the sword again?" Kon-Mai shifted uncomfortably, visibly nervous by that suggestion.

"If you're not willing…" Nazira swallowed silently. "Well, no hard feelings from me. But…"

"No...I mean…" Kon-Mai took a breath. "...I suppose, yes, it would be good to continue building your skill. And I am leagues above any mere ranger you'll find out here."

"Oh please!" Gur-Rai blew a raspberry with his long, black tongue. "You gonna start on with the whole "greatest champion" bullshit again?"

"...No." Kon-Mai looked away, tilting her chin in the air. "...I do not need to say it for it to be true~"

"Oh you little-."

"I am taller than you."

.

.

"...John?"

Bradford looked over from his seat on the couch, toward the Commander, tucked snugly in her bed. Sunk into the sheets, her hair blanketed the pillows around her, like a carpet of ethereal snow.

"Yeah, Sunny?" He asked quietly, standing up and putting the data pad on the desk. "Do you want water? A snack?"

"...How many?" She asked quietly. Her arms were limp by her sides, and as he drew closer, he saw there were bags under her eyes.

"Don't do this, Sunny." He said, sitting beside her. "You need to focus on recovering."

"I need to know." She looked over to him, and he saw that spark of light in her eyes again. "How many people died?"

"Look, we don't know the exact-" He began, before realizing that would not help.

"I can't ever get better if you won't hold me accountable." Senuna insisted. "Please, John. _How many people died?"_

"...Rough estimate is around 200." He said softly, taking her hand in his.

"And how many were alive to start with?" Senuna propped herself up with her arms, her hair falling back around her shoulders. "They didn't have 200 people to lose."

"Some of those numbers have been inflated by ADVENT troops that look like hybrids." Bradford tried to assure her. "And, hey. Malinalli is safe. Jane is safe. The Chosen are safe. Even the faction leaders pulled through. We lost a lot, yes, but we won the day."

"200 people should not have died." Senuna threw the covers off, revealing the mess of wires still attached to her body. "...I need to speak with Zafar, urgently. Can you get Tygan to remove this freaking catheter?"

"Sunny-"

"John." She glared at him. "I was complicit in this. People died due to my negligence."

"People died because Imdugud and his cronies killed them." He said firmly. "And you killed him. You helped save the entire town."

"Please don't treat me like a hero." Senuna's eyes glowed a bit, but even that small display was enough to make her clutch at her head, hissing in pain. "...Sometimes I hate how limited this body is. If it wasn't I would find the Elders and kill them myself."

"We don't need more heroics." Bradford insisted. "We won't win a war like this with just a flick of the wrist, Sunny. You've seen war."

Senuna sat on the edge of the bed. "I have. And I hated every second of it."

.

.

_"Wx aištatā por neylor nxta...por naylor nxta duos u kunnos."_ Dhar-Mon began in Etheric, clearing his throat. Vicky held three dandelions in her hand, the yellow petals beginning to fade and white fuzz appearing around the edges.

"He was more than a comrade. He was a friend to all who knew him." Dhar-Mon looked over at his lover, and reached for her hand.

Malinalli stared off into the distance for a moment, the blue sky colliding with purple mountains, fading into golden sand. Waves of heat shimmered on the horizon. She took a deep breath in. "I wish I could have saved him." She said as she finally let it out.

"We always wish we could…" Dhar-Mon nodded. "But we are mortal. And I would not have you put yourself in harm's way to hold the line of duty." He put a strong arm around her shoulder and she leaned into his side, her eyes still closed.

.

.

_Before the Assassin even hit the ground, Malinalli was already sprinting up the stairs towards her. She knelt down, the rapidly spreading pool of blood soaking into her uniform, and tried to slide her arm under the Assassin's body to flip her over. "She's too heavy…" She looked back. "Can someone help me, please?!"_

_Nobody moved. In fact, Jaya crossed her arms and scowled a bit. "...Look, the Commander said bring her in alive if possible...as far as I'm concerned, that ain't possible no more."_

_"The Commander gave an order, Jaya…" Jane said, but even she was hesitating. The Assassin kept bleeding, and still no one moved._

_Then someone did. Lothar came running up the stairs towards her, and as he knelt, he slipped his arms under the Assassin and turned her over. "There you go."_

_"Thank you…" Malinalli smiled at him as she began fishing around in her pocket for clamps. "From the amount of blood I'd say the Thoracic Aorta has been severed."_

_Lothar made a face, but put his hands on either side of the wound and pulled the tissue aside anyway. "Clean cut, at least. We should be able to sew that up without a graft."_

_"Move your head a bit. I can't see." Malinalli said, moving closer to attach the clamps to the veins. Her fellow soldiers watched her magic hands work quickly, and as she pulled back there was hope in her face. "...Okay. It's not perfect but she's not going to bleed out in seconds, at least."_

_"She's already lost a lot." Lothar held up the Assassin's weak arm. "Pulse is irregular and thready. I'm only counting 30 bpm."_

_"Jane!" Malinalli called over her shoulder. "Can Firebrand bring the Skyranger any closer?"_

_"I don't think so, Molly…" Jane replied as she pulled out her walkie talkie. "But I'll see…"_

_"There's a stretcher in the compartment under the seats!" Lothar added. "Tell Firebrand to bring it in. We can put her on that."_

_"Isn't it kind of small for her?" Malinalli raised a brow._

_"It extends. Maybe not to exactly her size, but it should be enough to hold her steady." Lothar went pale. "Speaking of steady, I just lost her pulse!"_

_"Fuck!" Malinalli felt along the Assassin's neck, and sure enough, there was nothing to be felt. Not even bothering to strip off the armor, she pressed her hands to the center of the alien woman's chest and pushed down with all her might. Her chest barely budged, and the medic knew she hadn't done much of anything to help."_

_"Let me. I'm stronger." Lothar said, and put his hands where Malinalli's had been as she moved back. He was, indeed, stronger, and made much better headway, counting out each beat as he pushed against the Assassin's heart. It was enough to slightly bend the already frayed and damaged metal. _

_From the Assassin, there was a small twitch in her hand, her eyes fluttered open just a bit. She opened her mouth, taking a huge gasp of air, and Lothar took hold of her face. "Can you hear me?" He asked. "You're safe, okay? We're here to help you."_

_"Help me…" The Assassin's voice was so weak, her words sounded like a plea._

_"We are, don't you worry." Lothar assured her, as he opened up the pocket on his pants and pulled out the portable oxygen concentrator. "Do you know where you are?"_

_Malinalli came up beside the Assassin and took her hand._

_"Here..." Was all the Assassin replied with._

_"What's your name?" Lothar then asked. "Can you tell me your name?"_

_Malinalli felt the Assassin's hand shaking a bit, and put a hand to her neck to take her pulse. "Lothar, I think we're losing her again."_

_"We need to get her to Firebrand." He muttered. "What's your first name, Miss? Can you tell me that?"_

_"Mai…" The Assassin choked out. "Maik...Kon-Mai…"_

_"That's a beautiful name." He said with a smile. "I have an oxygen mask here, I'm going to attach the breathing mask to your face. When I do, just keep breathing normally…" He began to ready the oxygen mask, but stopped briefly as Jane waved to them._

_"Firebrand has the stretcher at the Ascension Gate but can't get up." She said. "We need to get the Assassin down there."_

_Malinalli bit her lip in worry, but Lothar didn't look fazed. "Okay. Is Benigno still alright?" Lothar looked up and waved the rookie over. "You're strong, right? I need you to help me carry her."_

_"She just tried to kill me." He pouted as Lothar stood._

_"I'm not asking you to kiss her. Just grab her legs, I'll get her torso, and if you drop her I swear to god I will hide your rations for a month."_

_Malinalli chuckled, moving out of the way so the two of them could work. Lothar stuffed the concentrator in his chest pocket, and Benigno pouted but lifted Kon-Mai like he was told._

_She didn't allow herself any sense of relief, yet. It was a long journey back to the Avenger._

.

.

"He saved Kon-Mai." Malinalli sighed. "I know I helped but...he did so much."

Dhar-Mon looked like he was blinking back tears. "Even in death, he shall have my eternal thanks." He insisted.

"He was braver than most." Vicky finally spoke. "Way braver than me…" Malinalli glanced at her as she laid the dandelions down on Lothar's grave. "Thanks for all your help, Lothar. I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you."

That managed to pull a smile from Malinalli's lips. "Hey. Remember in Olomouc?"

Vicky blushed and looked away. "That wasn't funny! I was practically being eaten by mosquitoes!"

"That was what you got for not bringing bug spray." Malinalli shook her head, but the smile on her face told another story. "Hey, at least you smelled good!"

"I didn't even mind so much that he gave me sprayable deodorant, but did it HAVE to be "dusky musk" scented?" Vicky chuckled. "...He let me keep it. I still have it."

"Give it to my brother." Dhar-Mon spoke up. "I am sure he will find a way to use it to everyone's disadvantage."

And in that gloomy hour, there was just a moment of laughter.

.

.

Senuna leaned heavily on Bradford as he led her through the sandy, rubble strewn pathways of Dakhla. He tried to direct her attention away from the pockets of havoc and destruction. She ignored him and looked anyway.

"...Did I ever tell you about our trip to Mizque?" Senuna whispered. "We had no idea how bad it was down there, how much they were charging for water…"

"I don't think so." Bradford looked down at her as she hung off his shoulder.

"A fight broke out between police and the protestors we were with. Guillermo got hit in the head with the butt of a rifle…" She chuckled. "I saw red that day. Just like here."

"We're almost there, Sunny." Bradford said softly. He pushed aside the tent flap, leading her into the now nearly empty medical tent.

Across the room, he saw Zafar settled on the sleeping bag, his cane resting across his lap. Bradford led the Commander over, and Nazira looked up and nodded to him. "Here for round two of negotiations?"

The Central officer lowered Senuna onto the nearby cushion, and Nazira patted Zafar on his left arm. He turned to look in her general direction, unaware that Senuna was currently staring at the ground.. As she spoke, her voice cracked.

"I am sorry." She whispered. "I should have believed you."

Zafar was silent for a moment, and while it wasn't obvious to the visitors, Nazira could feel her brother pushing down his anger before he spoke. "...You brought the soldiers we requested." He said. "And you could not have known ADVENT would find us so quickly."

"What happened while we were gone?" Bradford asked.

"We had a mole." Nazira crossed her arms, taking a deep breath. Her chest was still a bit sore, but nothing was broken, at the very least. "Althaea was still loyal to ADVENT and tipped them off that the Chosen were here."

Senuna's cringed. "Whatever you need from us now, we'll see it's taken care of." She insisted.

Zafar sighed. "There is much we need." He said. "But, Commander, it's not something XCOM can do alone."

"I disagree!" Senuna cried. "You saw-"

"Well technically, I didn't see anything." Zafar chuckled at his own joke. "But I heard what you did to Imdugud. I also heard you've been in recovery for the last two weeks." He leaned forward, and despite his sockets being covered, Senuna could feel him looking into her soul. "What you have given us so far has helped immensely. XCOM staying to sort out the dead, to heal our sick and wounded, will help our community recover."

"It is not enough." Senuna sighed. "There must be something else."

"We do not need a savior, Commander." He assured her. "What we need is time. Time to rebuild _ourselves_."

.

.

Staring out into the desert Kon-Mai unsheathed her blade without so much as a glance backward, feeling its weight in her hand. The sun had already set behind her, and the stars were rising in the purple sky. A light breeze blew across the desert, and she closed her eyes and let it guide her.

But as she moved, her blade swinging in her hand, she suddenly felt herself grating against the wind, pushing against its influence. It was no longer guiding her. Now, without it, she felt unstable in the sand.

"Be careful, Shrinemaiden." A voice said to her right. "You might take a tumble."

Kon-Mai turned and saw Betos there, her arms hugged across her body against the cool breeze. For perhaps the first time Kon-Mai had seen, she was out of her armor, and instead donned a sweater of black and purple and blue wool.

"We are in a desert." Kon-Mai chuckled. "Are you sure you need the sweater?"

"The desert night brings cold winds." Betos mused. "You're out here without a coat."

"I am in armor. That is quite enough protection for me." She swung the sword a bit, and saw Betos flinch. "I'm sorry-"

"May I see it?" Betos asked, blunt and confident.

Kon-Mai raised a brow. "...Finally going to strike me down?" She turned the blade so the handle was facing Betos. "Go on."

The Skirmisher leader felt the sword in her hand, and Kon-Mai saw her swing it a bit, just as confidently as the Shrinemaiden herself.

"I take it you have used a blade before?" Kon-Mai cocked her head.

"Many times, in my early days." Betos chuckled. "Before Sun Lancers were streamlined, and Troopers were given knives and bayonets."

"I thought you tried not to dwell on that time."

"I do not dwell on it, but I must acknowledge it." She admitted. "...I know we are not close, Shrinemaiden, but may I confess something?"

Kon-Mai raised an eyebrow hesitantly.

"I wish you had joined us sooner. The Skirmishers were living 'paycheck to paycheck', as it were, when we first started out. If we had had you…" Her face fell just a bit. "...I do not know. Perhaps it would have done nothing. Or perhaps it would have given us the strength we needed."

"...It is not worth much to muse on this." Kon-Mai assured her. "My brothers and I were too deep in the Elders' grasps, too enamored with them to face any dissent with a cool mind."

Betos looked up at her. "It is still the one thing I regret." She admitted. "That of all the people I took with me that night, I did not make you come with me."

Kon-Mai stared at her, trying to read her expression to supplement her words, but Betos merely handed the sword back to Kon-Mai.

"Enjoy your training, Shrinemaiden."

.

.

_They had done it. _

_When Betos had asked for the Assassin to be brought back alive, she'd kept within her a healthy dose of skepticism. She knew Kon-Mai Mordenna better than anyone. She knew that even if she was the most stable-minded of the Chosen, even if she could be reasoned with, even the most rational of thoughts could be twisted to serve the Elders' will. The Assassin may well have been too far gone to save._

_But they'd done it. Oh, she had tried to go out with a metaphorical bang, but as Betos walked into the infirmary, she looked down the dark room and at the very end, there she was. There the Assassin lay._

_The curtain was only pulled halfway closed, on account of the fact that they'd had to tack on a two foot metal attachment so the Chosen's feet didn't fall off the end of the bed. She still had an oxygen tank beside her bed, but now instead of a full on mask, she only had a small tube with two valves running under her nose. The human nurse, Malinalli, was beside her with a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff, and didn't hear Betos approach until the latter coughed._

_Malinalli jumped, and Betos chuckled. "So she is alive."_

_"Against all odds." Malinalli nodded. "She lost so much blood we were kind of scared she wasn't going to make it. But she's stable right now." She bobbed her head. "Her vitals…aren't great, but at least they aren't jumping all over the charts anymore."_

_Betos made her way around to the other side of the bed, and looked down on Kon-Mai's sleeping face. She looked incredibly peaceful for what she had just endured hours earlier, so vulnerable for someone who could kill with a mere glance. _

_Betos didn't even think before she laid a hand on the Assassin's forehead. "...She is warmer than usual. Her normal temperature should be around 39 degrees Celsius."_

_"Bit warm for a human, but I guess she's not..." Malinalli grabbed a thermometer and pressed it to Kon-Mai's forehead. It beeped, and she grimaced. "...41 degrees. Let me get Tygan, he figured there would be a risk of infection."_

_"I shall guard her until you return." Betos said half-jokingly, but as the medic ran out of the room, Betos looked down at the sleeping beauty once again and ran her thumb over her scaly cheek._

_She wondered what Kon-Mai would say if she woke up and saw this traitor here._

.

.

The summons went out, and in rays of purple and silver, the Ethereals rose and one by one, came to the Inner Sanctum. Kompira, Reue, Tiyanak and Xezbeth: silently, they all entered the chamber. One was conspicuously missing.

A gleam of red light appeared from the corner, and The Three emerged, Vox Abyzou leading them, as per usual. Reue watched Bhandasura and Camazotz take their places beside the queen. Her heart ached with jealousy.

**"We have been discussing."** Abyzou said. **"Discussing what is next for us. This is not our first loss in this war. But with hope, it shall be our last."**

The Elders nodded in agreement, and only Kompira seemed to hesitate. She had said that every time they lost someone.

**"Many of you may believe we should abandon our quest to reclaim our daughter."** Abyzou added. **"But this is wrong, and even inconceivable, to believe. Vox Prima is not only our child, she is perhaps our only child fit to rule."** She glanced back at Bhandasura. **"It is why our **_**daughter **_**bears the name Mordenna. She is our princess. She will be this world's queen."**

**"And what of Imdugud?"** Kompira spoke up. **"Who shall fill his role?"**

Abyzou looked to the only other female in the room. **"Reue."** She said. **"Reue shall fill the void left by our fallen brother."**

Reue seemed to light up like a candle. **"I shall not fail you!"** She cried. **"I promise...Vox Abyzou."**

**"As for the rest of you."** Abyzou glared toward them. **"Tiyanak. We need to have a talk."** She raised a gnarled hand with red-tipped claws glinting purple in the light. **"Why did you not tell me I'm an aunt? Your little Dua-Zoar and her brothers were quite a surprise."**

* * *

Summery: In the Aftermath of the siege of Dakhla, Malinalli and Vicky are burying the remaining bodies, including one of their fellow medic, Lothar. Malinalli reflects on her past mission with him, and it is revealed he helped save Kon-Mai during the mission that almost claimed her life. Dhar-Mon arrives to help, and says a few words in respect to Lothar and his memory.

Kon-Mai attempts to teach Gur-Rai how to meditate, but his repetitive behaviors prove slightly distracting. Nevertheless, instead of shaming him, she acknowledges that these behaviors bring him comfort. The two then go visit Zafar, who is recovering from losing his eyes and is learning to walk with a cane.

Senuna, feeling guilty about allowing the siege to happen in the first place, confronts Zafar and asks if there is any way she can help. Zafar assures her that his people merely need time to rebuild by themselves.

Later on, Kon-Mai encounters Betos, who confesses that upon her escape, she had considered bringing the Chosen woman with her but didn't. Kon-Mai assures her there would have been no point, as she and her brothers were still too loyal to the Elders. As she leaves, Betos recalls her first time seeing Kon-Mai in the infirmary, and reveals that she is the one who requested the Assassin be captured alive.

(I told myself this would be a short chapter, now look at me. 6,000 words hm?

This one had a few plot twists, as well as my first attempt at flashback scenes! I think I handled them pretty well, but please let me know if they suck and I should stick to present-day story stuff!)


	38. Seven, Plus One More

_The evening sun shone bright on the side of N7R42's face. The Hunter could see the thin figure perfectly in the orange glow, and he knew this place, this meeting, was intentional._

_He grappled over to the tower, bracing himself against the metal poles and sliding down to land behind the lanky figure, and before any acknowledgement could be made, he reached down towards those supple hips he had held so many times._

"_You look radiant in this light, Nazira." He leaned forward and whispered in his girlfriend's ear._

"_Thank you…" She brushed aside the locks of black hair that ran over her shoulders, exposing her neck to him. Her skin was dark olive, a deviation from the usual pale visage of the Elders' infiltration units. Of course, that wasn't the only thing that made her unique._

"_I take it you liked the gift." He murmured in her ear, taking a strand of her long, black hair in his hand gently. It was the softest quality he could find, for no lover of his would ever be subjected to an itchy, plastic wig. And it had been a harrowing search, but it had been more than worth it to see the joy on her face when she put it on._

"_I don't know what I like more…" She giggled. "The quality, or the idea of the Elders having a heart attack if they see me in it."_

"_They'd die from the sheer beauty you radiate." He pulled gently on her arm so she turned to face him. She was still partially in uniform, wearing her ill-fitting black slacks along with the overly-loose white dress shirt that was now untucked, and cinched around her waist with a burgundy ribbon. "…Gur-Rai?"_

"_Hm?" His cocky smile faltered a bit. "…Nazira, you look sad…"_

"…_I am." She didn't know if she wanted to press closer to him or pull away. "Gur-Rai, I love you. You know that, right?"_

"_What's happened?" He demanded, his voice already sounding panicked. "Is it the Speaker again? I made it clear to him last time, he shouldn't be giving you any trouble."_

"_It's…complicated." She admitted. "It's not only him, but he's a big part of it."_

"_Do I need to tear off another one of his fingers?" Gur-Rai grimaced._

"_I won't object." Nazira didn't sound nearly as happy as he had hoped. "Gur-Rai. My sweet boy, you've done so much for me but…nobody besides you and my brother call me Nazira. Nobody will use the pronouns I want them to use for me. They dress me in clothes that don't fit and I look in the mirror…" She pressed her face into his chest, shaking. "And it's not me. I look like someone else. I FEEL like someone else!"_

_He squeezed her. "I know…" He whispered against her scalp as he ran his hands through her black hair. "I know how much it hurts, my sweet. I'm so sorry."_

"_I can't live like this." She finally said. "I can't live with them treating me like something I'm not. I can't live where I'm just a number, made to die…"_

"_Hold on." He chuckled. "…Nazira, this sounds like a goodbye…"_

_She pulled away from him and looked up, her green eyes full of tears, and his smile dropped. "I'm sorry." She finally sighed. "But I can't stay here."_

"_Did I do something wrong?" His voice was soft and wavering._

"_No, sweetheart. You did everything perfectly." She pressed a hand to his cheek. "With you, I've felt more like myself than I ever have before…but you're a Chosen, Gur-Rai, and I'm just a Thin…Man." She grimaced at the last word as she said it. "You can't always be there to swoop in and save me."_

"_Maybe I can!" He took her hands, desperation in his voice. "You could come to my stronghold! It's safe there, no one asks questions. The priests wouldn't care and you could be yourself. We could be…" He trailed off._

"_The Elders would know." She said. "You'd be tortured. I'd be killed. And then where would we be?"_

_She saw his purple eyes beginning to shine with tears. Her poor, soft Hunter's heart was breaking with each word she spoke. Tenderly, he kissed her hands._

"…_They'll want me to come after you, won't they?" He whimpered._

_She chuckled. "Romantic, hm?"_

"_Will you be okay?" He asked. "I don't suppose you can tell me where you're going."_

"_I would if I knew. We're just going to run as fast and as far as we can." She squeezed his hands. "…You could always-"_

"_No." He almost snapped. "The Elders would find us in a heartbeat, and they'd kill you even faster."_

_There was a deep silence between them as he pulled Nazira closer, pressing his face into her shoulder. Opening one eye, Gur-Rai saw in the distance another tall, lanky figure watching them._

"_Your big bro is here." He said softly. "…Does that mean it's time?"_

_Nazira squeezed him and pulled away, looking up into his eyes again. She reached up and wiped the tear away from his cheek, and pressed her lips to his for (possibly) the last time._

"_I love you, Gur-Rai Madron." She said. "No matter where I am, no matter who I am, that will never change."_

_He responded by kissing her one last time, everything he needed to say communicated in that one action. Then, he pulled away and stepped back, letting her hand slip from his._

_Nazira turned, and as she jogged towards her brother, she heard the whizz of a grappling hook, and looked up to see Gur-Rai watching her from atop the tower, the shadows cloaking him in black, like a raven in the fading light._

.

.

The radio tower lay in ruin.

No voices could be heard from the fragments of machinery, and the library they had built below was burned and buried. Even if the books were salvageable, Nazira looked to her blind brother and felt his sorrow, knowing that he could never again read them.

She took a step forward, the dirt and rubble scraping against her shoes. Even in this desert, the nights were beginning to grow colder as winter drew near. The days grew shorter and now, at 6 in the evening, she saw the sun beginning to set behind the purple mountains.

"Should we even bother?" Zafar asked her suddenly. "Maybe it'd be best to just…" He squeezed the head of his cane.

"We should at least have a way to keep in contact with XCOM." She assured him. She didn't say it, but part of her was thinking of the possibility of another attack. Even if the Chosen were to leave soon, who was to say the Holy Lancers would not come to finish off their small community. "So yes, we should bother."

Zafar held his cane tight and reached forward, searching for his sister's arm. She began to step towards him, but instead someone else offered a hand to him.

"It is Kon-Mai." The Shrinemaiden said as she took Zafar's hand. "I am on your right."

"And Dhar-Mon on your left." Dhar-Mon said. He followed his sister closely, the two coming from the fields where, Nazira could see, the last bits of the harvest were coming in.

"I know you two." Zafar tried to chuckle, but Nazira could hear the tense sorrow in his voice. "Shrinemaiden, do you see any books within the remains?"

Kon-Mai scanned the rubble. "Yes. There is a rather large pile over there." She pointed.

"Could you lead me to them?" He asked quietly. "They shouldn't be on the ground at least…"

Kon-Mai complied easily, leading him towards a haphazard pile of town and burnt books. Looking down, she saw a good amount of them were actually still intact.

Upon reaching the pile, Zafar did not hasten to move at all, despite his request. Instead he looked downward, towards where he must have assumed the books were, and reached his cane out slightly to poke at the leather covers.

"Poor man." Nazira heard a voice behind her. "If I lost my eagle eyes, not sure what I'd-"

She looked back at Gur-Rai, shooting him a glare that said, in no uncertain terms, to shut up.

"Sorry." He came up behind her and she was waiting for him to lay a hand on her waist, but it never came. "How's he doing?"

She hesitated. "…Better." She admitted. "His other senses are picking up a lot of the slack."

"That's good…" She could feel his "eagle eyes" on her. "…And how are you doing?"

She was reluctant to look up. "…Do you need any help getting the Avenger ready?" She asked. "I heard you'll be moving on soon."

She heard him sigh, and looked to her right to see he was holding out his hand to her.

"What's this?" She asked.

"That's my hand. I want you to take it." He chuckled. "Come on. Walk with me. I think it's time we…discussed things."

.

.

"-and considering the increase in ADVENT activity, I think it's a good move." Jane said as she pointed to a secluded haven on the map. "There might be a strike near there soon."

"I'm not sure how comfortable I feel removing so many troops from Arapahoe, though." Senuna laced her fingers in her lap. She sank back into the couch cushions, dressed not quite in her commander uniform, but in a lacy shirt and jeans that at least made her look sensible. She still had a heart monitor attached to her chest, connected to a small machine that sat beeping beside her, but she was up and about, and with her white hair brushed and straightened, she was starting to look like her old commanding self.

"I think a mere five or six people would be enough." Jane replied. "Every person counts, after all. We train those resistance warriors to fight well. I should know."

From across the couch, Zhang chuckled. "You would have made a good Triad, Jane."

"I would absolutely not." She said with a smile. "As far as I've seen, what conscience I do have is too much for that job."

Zhang scoffed but did not seem angry. "Well. Fair enough."

"Speaking of Triad." Senuna looked to Zhang. "I'm thinking it's time we start looking into making contact with them."

"It has long since been time." Zhang nodded. "Am I going in alone?"

"No, not after…" Senuna cleared her throat. "I think I'll send Annette with you. You two work well together."

"Commander…" Jane jumped in, a sense of urgency in her voice. "If Colonel Zhang could stomach one more companion, I'd like to accompany him and Colonel Durand."

Zhang and Senuna exchanged looks, and Zhang shook his head. "I know what you are looking for, Child. And I am hesitant to say that you will find it…"

"Vahlen was last seen in Triad territory." Jane crossed her arms. "If nothing else, there will be pieces of her left behind. Footprints, if you will. I want to see them for myself."

"Are you sure?" Senuna had been embracing a more careful disposition recently, but the topic of Vahlen was something she broached carefully, especially with Little "Quiet" Kelly. "I know you have a lot of questions, Jane, but even if you find something…even if you find Moira herself, who's to say you'll get those answers?"

"Who's to say I won't?" Jane shrugged. "And another thing, Commander. I'm specialized in stealth and infiltration. I helped free you. This kind of mission, I could do it in my sleep."

Senuna chuckled, a twinkle in her turquoise eyes. "…That's my goddaughter~" She stood slowly. "Chilong, what do you think?"

"Quiet is a good soldier." Zhang nodded. "But I will not be babysitting. If you come along with me-."

"I don't expect you to. I'm here to fight a war, after all." Jane saluted her Commander. "Anything else, Madam?"

"Yes. Could you get me that inhaler?" She sighed as she made her way to the desk. "I hate it to admit it, but Tygan was right about my lungs. I think I _do _need to take it easy…"

.

.

Volk rested his gun on his hip as he meandered through the remains of the Dakhla Oasis. The patrols recently had been going better than he ever could have hoped (even if Cruzita had pitched a fit about not being able to skin the snakes), but Papa Wolf still had to get his paws wet every once in a while. Lead by example, all that jazz.

The rebuilding efforts were going well, all things considered. The houses that had been destroyed had been replaced by thick nylon tents that would do the job until real bricks could be made for the homes. The houses that still stood had been touched up, and all that really remained to be patched up was the radio tower. Considering the damage that thing had taken though…

He saw a bit of a purple glow to his left and looked over to where Geist was kneeling, poised before a fragment of the console. The last time Volk had seen it, it had been damaged beyond repair. From the Templar's hands there was a purple spark, and the console flashed to life once again.

Volk nodded to him. "Didn't take you for a mechanic."

Geist looked up, and Volk stared awkwardly into those ghastly purple eyes. Geist was impossible to read and for a wolf, that meant he was dangerous.

"Psionics is simply the manipulation of universal energies." Geist said. "All things respond to it, both organic and mechanical."

Volk shuddered. "Yeah, remind me again that you could bend my feeble mind with a wave of your hand." He approached the console, running one hand over the metal as it grew warm. "It doesn't bother you? Being a freak?"

"No." Geist completely ignored the dig. "We are all freaks in our own way, Volikov. You included."

"Hey…" Volk sighed. "…Okay, fair. Still, at least people trust me not to read their mind, that's a plus."

"I don't need to read your mind to sense your intent." Geist looked up and gave him a rare smile. "I speak with Senuna regularly, I assure you, your attempts to get under my skin are minimal compared to hers."

"If you two hate each other so much…" Volk leaned against the console, his gun lax "…why join up with XCOM?"

"It is what was necessary." Geist stood. "The Elders are a threat to everything on this planet, perhaps everything in the known universe. Senuna tried to beat them by herself before, and she failed. We Templars are powerful, but nowhere near as powerful as them."

"So it's just a matter of tolerating each other until you can kick the Elders out?"

"Until we can _kill them._" Geist clarified. "To chase them off would only lead them to return with greater armies, or worse, lead them to conquer yet another planet, to expose millions more innocent lives to chaos and suffering."

"So? It's not our world."

Geist blinked. "Volikov, I do not know how to explain to you that you should care about other people."

Volk grimaced at that, and stayed silent, which Geist took as a kind of metaphorical win.

"The sands of time have hardened you far too much, Volikov." Geist patted the Reaper's shoulder. "I await the day your shell is shattered."

"Don't piss yourself in anticipation." Volk muttered as he watched Geist fade back into the rubble. He looked back at the machine, now whirring to life and beeping happily, and decided to pay with a few of the buttons.

.

.

The Red Queen scraped her long claws along the wall beside her, her crimson eyes glaring down at her underling as they looked down and away from her.

"_**Khomain Tiyanak**_**."** She specifically refused to use his _proper _title. "**Who is **_**this**_**, again?"**

The Ethereal reached out to the small hybrid woman beside him, nudging her forward with his hand. "**Introduce yourself, my dear."**

"…I am Dua-Zoar Khomain." She said, her voice grating and trembling with fear.

Abyzou moved forward, floating on a throne of energy, and lowered herself to almost Dua-Zoar's height. She still towered above the girl, but this way, she could reach down and take her chin in her hands.

"**What a pretty thing you are." **Abyzou mused. "**A shame you're defective."**

Dua-Zoar felt her heart drop into her stomach, and Tiyanak rushed toward her. "**She is not-"**

Dua-Zoar heard a crunch, and though her progenitor let out no audible sound, she felt the waves of pain exuding from them. Their frail body curled in on itself like a dead spider, twitching and trembling as the carmine waves of energy swept over them, almost suffocating them.

"Stop." Dua-Zoar looked up to Abyzou. "Stop, please!"

"**Tiyanak wants to take the punishment for your failure."** Abyzou's voice was as sweet as mercury. "**You could have prevented this, Child~"**

"Please!" Dua-Zoar fell to her knees. "Please stop!"

"**Zou…"** A deep voice behind the Red Queen said. "**She has a point. We cannot afford the loss of another so soon."**

Abyzou clenched her fists, glaring down at Dua-Zoar, the current object of her ire.

Then she released her grip, and the light faded, pulling away and leaving Tiyanak twitching but alive.

"**Here is what you will do for me."** Abyzou hissed at the girl, as Bhandasura went to Tiyanak to assist them. "**Never speak to me unless I speak first. Never speak out of turn. If I want to hear your voice, I shall ask you for it. Do you understand me, Child?"**

Dua-Zoar nodded. "Yes…"

"_**Yes, Vox Abyzou." **_Abyzou snapped. "**I want to make one thing clear. Whatever you believe yourself to be, forget it. You have one purpose: to return me my daughter."**

Dua-Zoar maintained eye contact with the ground.

"**You have already failed once. I do not know what resources Tiyanak wasted on you, but I'm certain they would not be hard to reclaim."** Suddenly, those red claws tickled the underside of Du-Zoar's throat. "**But, my dear…I am not heartless. Do right by me, and you shall see reward."**

Dua-Zoar looked up, and the heat that radiated from Abyzou's eyes was intense and overwhelming.

"**Bring me back Kon-Mai Mordenna, and I will not only let you live…I will elevate you to a higher status than you could ever imagine."** Abyzou leaned forward, close enough that Dua-Zoar could feel the breath radiating from her face. "**You will be her Handmaid, the Chosen of the Chosen. You will rule at my daughter's side, and this world will bow before you."**

Dua-Zoar's eyes were sparkling at those words, and as Abyzou let go of her chin, the girl bowed her head.

"**Do you understand?"**

"I do, Vox Abyzou. I will see this through. Alone, if I must."

.

.

Volk almost jumped out of his skin as the console began to beep to life. There was a loud hissing, sputtering noise, some clanking, and then a voice on the other end, crackling and staticy.

"Hold on!" Volk turned a random dial and pushed a green button, talking into what looked like either a microphone or a vent. "Hello? Is someone there?"

"_Ye…this is….kaina Khatun of…um Hoard."_ A woman's voice said, breaking in and out with static.

"Can't hear you well, you're breaking up…" Volk wished Geist hadn't walked away, because this thing still needed a lot of tuning. "Hold on!" He gave the entire machine a hard kick.

There was a thump from inside, and then the woman spoke again. "_Hello? Is this the Avenger?"_

"No, this is not." Volk said. "This is the Dakhla Oasis Radio Tower, or what's left of it. But the Avenger isn't far away so I can grab the Commander if you need her."

There was just a moment of silence on the other end. "…_Who is speaking?"_

"Konstantine Volikov, pack leader of the Reapers." He replied. "I heard you trying to introduce yourself earlier but-"

"_Volk!"_ The woman snapped loudly. "_Volk, is it really you?!"_

"The one and only." He chuckled. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

The woman laughed. "_I know it's been almost 30 years, but you must remember _me_. Vladivostok? Yevgeniy Academy?"_

He thought back hard to the memories of his childhood home, the crowded, colorful city, and the young girl he walked with to and from school…

Then he gasped. "Drakaina!"

The woman laughed again. "_Finally you have it in your thick head! Hello, Wolf." _

"I thought you were dead!" He cried. "_Holy shit!"_

"_It would take much more than an alien invasion to kill me."_ She assured him. "_I've heard of your exploits, Volk. Leader of the Pack, is it? Is America nice and warm?"_

"Egypt, and yeah, much warmer than Alaska."

"_I'll never forgive you for not taking me along~"_ She said jokingly. "_But right now, I must speak with the Commander. You said they are nearby?"_

"The Avenger is just outside the village." He said. "If you want I can just pass your message along. I have to see the Commander at some point anyway."

"_And can I trust you, Konstantine?"_ She asked, and he could hear the laughter in her voice.

"As far as you can throw me." He chuckled. "God, I missed you, Drakaina."

"_And I missed you."_ She sighed. "_All these long years, hm?"_

"Tell me about it." He muttered. "So what have you been up to?"

"_Oh you'll see it for yourself, soon enough."_

.

.

Nazira looked behind her as Gur-Rai sat down on the sand, settling himself down like a child at the beach. She chuckled and sat beside him, and from his hoodie popped a familiar face.

"Hello, Pangu." She reached over and scratched the possum atop his head as he stared at her thoughtlessly.

"He likes you." Gur-Rai mused.

"I don't think he can tell people apart, really." She lifted the possum from his hoodie and settled him on her lap. "The lights are on, but nobody's home."

"Aw, he's a smart boy." Gur-Rai patted Pangu on the back. "…Will you miss him?"

"I'll miss him _and _you." She sniffled just a bit, not quite crying yet. "…I'm sorry. I didn't think it would be this hard. I knew you had to leave again…"

"It's not like before." He took her hand. "We're not in ADVENT anymore. I could probably get shore leave to come see you."

Nazira didn't seem comforted by that. "Gur-Rai, we're at war."

"Yes, we are." He chuckled. "And?"

"I love you." She said. "And if we get through this alive, maybe we can try this all again because…I want to be with you, I do. Just…right now…"

"You're not sure yet?" He said, his eyes soft.

She nodded, then hiccuped. "I'm sorry. I've led you on this whole time-"

"No, no, you didn't." He scooted closer. "Nazira, I love you because of the joy you bring into my world when we're together. And I love you enough that, as long as you're happy…whether we're exclusive or not…" He seemed to swallow, and she could tell this was hard on him. "You love me. And that's all I need to know."

Nazira threw her arms around his neck, startling Pangu, and he pulled her close to him again, his hands running through her sleek black hair. This was no wig this time. It was real. He buried his face in it and tried to keep from crying.

"What comes now?" Nazira asked.

"Whatever you want." He said. "Speaking of, this old dog is a loyal one, Nazira, I can keep it in my pants if you prefer I wait for you."

"No." She smiled. "No, don't let me stop you, Gur-Rai. Not right now, at least. Once the war ends…" She bit her lip. "…for now, go out there and love. Like you loved me."

"Oh Nazira." He took her hands in his. "Part of me always will." He looked up and past her shoulder… "God dammit, we always get interrupted~"

Nazira looked behind her, where Kon-Mai stood grinning a few feet away.

.

.

Senuna maneuvered her nightgown over the heart monitor and sat down on her bed, sighing as she finally relaxed, off her feet. Maybe Bradford was right about her using her powers so frivolously. She'd never had such a difficult recovery before. But she'd do it all again before she'd let him be right about that.

She took the brush from her bedside table and began to run it through her long, white hair just as there was a panicked knock at the door. Nervous of what news would be brought to her this time, Senuna threw on her silk robe and called out "Come in!"

The door slid open and Volk walked inside, smiling. She rarely saw him smile, and the fact that he was now grinning like a jackal made her uneasy.

"Commander." He said. "I have a proposition for you."

"I'm flattered that you fancy me, Volk, but I'm afraid I'm spoken for." Senuna giggled.

"What? No, ew." He scrunched up his nose. "No, this is better. I have another group wanting to ally with XCOM."

Senuna raised a hesitant brow. "Didn't we just go through this?"

"This isn't a haven, Commander. It's another resistance faction." He sat down on the back of the couch, feet on the cushions. "They're called the Elerium Horde."

"Elerium Horde? I assume there's a story behind that name?"

"There is. Ever heard of the Golden Horde?"

"It's been awhile since I was in history class." Senuna admitted. "But, let me guess. They got it from the Mongols?"

"Same idea. They've modeled their group after the old Mongolian steppe tribes. What's better, the region is so inhospitable that it's basically empty."

"Okay." Senuna nodded. "Good for them. How does that help us?"

"Why do you think they're called the Elerium Horde?" He gestured forward with his hand. "That region is one of the greatest sources of untapped Elerium on the continent. Possibly on the planet." Volk raised a brow. "Now ADVENT is going to want it. But if we get there first…"

Senuna's eyes began to glow as she thought. "More Elerium, more resources…" She nodded. "How do you know all of this?"

"Got a call from an old friend." Volk said. "Drakaina Agapiyevna, she's their leader. She and I grew up together In Vladivostok. We've known each other years."

"Is that why she called you directly?" Senuna raised a brow. "Instead of going through me?"

"No, she called the radio tower." Volk admitted. "I'm thinking some signals got crossed or something, but I didn't want to drag you out there." He gestured to the heart monitor. "Since you're still healing and all. I was being considerate, Commander."

Senuna thought about this for a moment. "…And you trust this woman?"

"Commander, I bet you my best gun." He assured her. "This is my best friend. She'd never do me dirty."

Senuna thought for a long moment. "…We already have Zhang and Jane going off to the Triads…"

"We'll be close by, this way." Volk pointed out.

"That's true." Senuna smiled. "Run it by Bradford first. And then tell him I said yes."

.

.

Of the 50 who joined her to Dakhla, only 7 remained. 7 Holy Lancers, plus her, their eldest, their de facto leader. They, ironically, outnumbered the Elders, now.

"We could take them." Her sister said directly into her ear, as Dua-Zoar polished her sabre. Looking back, she saw her sister's eyes glowing purple in the light. Her face was round and almost would have been cute, if not for the hatred in her expression.

"Ketil-Vik." Dua-Zoar stood up, and she towered over the smaller woman. Still, she chose her words carefully. Ketil-Vik was small, but her muscles rivaled the old Warlock's brawn, and she had the rage of a Berserker in her.

"Yes?" She didn't back down, staring up at Dua-Zoar, and the latter's eye flickered to the figure that came up behind her sister: a man taller than them both, so gaunt his tight suit showed every rib, every bone, his chapped lips pulled back from emaciation to reveal fangs and sharp teeth.

"I know you want a fight." Dua-Zoar admitted, her eyes darting back and forth between the two. "But our last encounter-"

"-was going well until that bitch showed up." Her brother rasped. By his voice, it sounded like he'd never tasted water before in his life.

"Because you all got cocky!" A soft voice called out, slurring slightly. "You just had to put your gnarly hands on her child, didn't you? Should have just left the poor thing for dead."

"That's Dua-Zoar's fault!" Her brother spat back to the lancer behind her.

"Maybe." The voice let out a loud yawn. "But you're no better. You were lagging behind more than me at times. If you'd hurried instead of taking bites out of every body you saw, maybe we'd have made it home before the Commander showed up."

"I mean, they have a point." Dua-Zoar saw another of her sisters stand up and step into the light, her scaly skin more yellow than red. "Ura-Moe is slow but they get their job done. You, Mawr-Vex, took twice as long as any of us. Could you not just swallow them whole and save us the-"

"Enough." Dua-Zoar's voice boomed above them all. "Naaya-Grim, get the others. Who is missing from this…" She glared at Ketil-Vik "…engagement?"

"Our brother, Adal-Gern. He is helping Vox Reue with inventory. I do not know where Ai-Xerak and Oyna-Xol are."

"Ura-Moe." Dua-Zoar turned to her sibling. "Get up and find them."

Ura-Moe sighed as they pulled themselves to their feet. "And why can't the instigators do it?"

"Because I have commanded it." Dua-Zoar looked around.

"Oh? Who died and made you queen?"

"The Elders!" Dua-Zoar hissed. "If we succeed in this, Vox Abyzou has deigned to make me the Handmaid of the Assassin."

She heard Naaya-Grim gasp. "You? Out of all of us?"

Dua-Zoar nodded to her sister, smiling a bit at the envy on her face. "If you obey me, if you follow me, I will convince her to spare your lives as well. For you are my family." She put a hand atop Ketil-Vik's head. "And I love you all."

Ketil-Vik grimaced, but Mawr-Vex's smile grew wider. "And we love you too, Sister."

Dua-Zoar smiled at him. "But if you stand to disobey me, if you betray me, if you fail me…" She withdrew her hand and rested it on the hilt of her sword. "_I will see you all ripped to pieces."_

* * *

Summary: The chapter begins with a flashback to Gur-Rai meeting with Nazira, right before she left ADVENT and, effectively, their relationship. In present day, Nazira is helping her brother learn to walk again, and Kon-Mai arrives to help him. Gur-Rai also arrives and invites Nazira to come along to discuss things.

On the Avenger, Senuna, Jane and Zhang are discussing logistics, and Jane asks to be put on the Triad infiltration mission. Senuna and Zhang agree, but warn her she may not find what she is looking for.

Inside the Ethereal's Sanctum, Dua-Zoar stands before a very displeased Abyzou, who punishes Tiyanak for Dua-Zoar's failure. Bhandasura stops her before Tiyanak dies, and Abyzou concedes to give Dua-Zoar one more chance, promising to make her the Assassin's handmaiden if the latter is brought back to her.

In Dakhla, Volk and Geist exchange words, and after Geist leaves, Volk recieves a call from his old friend, Drakaina Agapiyevna, who he knew in childhood. She now runs a resistance faction of her own, and is looking to ally with XCOM. After little convincing, Senuna agrees to meet her.

Dua-Zoar goes to meet with the remains of her siblings: Ai-Xerack, Mawr-Vex, Adal-Gern, Naaya-Grim, Ura-Moe, Ketil-Vik, and Oyna-Xol. After a brief altercation, she relays what Abyzou told her, and vows to keep the others in line, on pain of death.

(New arc starting soon~)


	39. Yuletide Exodus

The red man raised his head as the snow began to fall.

Beady eyes stared up into the black night sky, dotted with stars and only partially obscured by the nearby city center's light pollution. He had heard stories that before the tyranny of the Elders, these dark days had been lit up with celebration and love.

The people behind him milled about, keeping conversation quiet, putting out fires where they could. The solstice had come to them early this year, and the longest night was sovereign in a sense. The calm before the storm.

There was a little hand on his knee, and the red man bent down slowly and lifted the human child into his arms. Her dark hair was still streaked with white-gold, like snow, and her dark eyes held the night in their grasp.

"What are you doing?" She asked him, her speech still slightly muddled. It had not been long since she had begun talking in complete sentences, after all.

"I'm thinking about the past." He admitted.

"What kind?"

He hesitated, unsure how to answer. He almost said, _a better one._

"Haimini." He bounced her in his arms. "What do you want for Christmas?"

.

.

The Avenger kicked up a white cloud of powder as it landed in the snowy field, and Senuna found the irony in that fitting as she examined the ends of her own hair.

"Do you think it was always white?" The bed dipped as Zhang settled down on it, sitting beside her. Not many people had that privilege, but Zhang was old. And a friend.

"The snow? Or my hair?" She chuckled.

He shrugged. "I would hope the snow, but who knows."

"I was…born on a night like this." She admitted. "One minute I was running away, and the next…"

"You've told me." He stopped her. "You've been dwelling on this a lot."

"It was on the solstice, December 22nd." She stood up, and Zhang leapt to his feet to catch her as she teetered a bit. "Thank you."

"And it was nearly a century ago." He said.

"And in a century, I found almost no answers." She made her way to the window and stared out. The snow glittered silver under the moonlight, and she pressed a hand to the window, watching it fog up.

"Has Tygan said you can drink yet?" Zhang asked as she heard him rummaging around in her desk. "I say it's time we finally celebrate making it as far as we have."

"Against all odds." She turned to him. "And if one drink is the thing to kill me, maybe it's my time to go~"

Zhang pulled the bottle of brandy from her desk drawer and popped the cap off, the cracking sound making it apparent that it had yet to be opened even after god-knew-how-long. He took a long drink of it and then passed it to her, and she raised the bottle to him.

"To a hundred years more."

"And a happy new year."

.

.

The first thing that Kon-Mai felt ,when she drifted back into consciousness, was the deep cold that had sunk into her bedroom, and she pulled up the covers to her chin in an attempt to block that out. As her impressive body heat began to warm the blankets, and she began to drift back to sleep, she felt something else. _Violent shaking._

For a split second, she thought there was an earthquake happening, until said earthquake cried "Konnie get up! There's snow!"

She shot up into a sitting position, and looked around in confusion before settling on Gur-Rai's face. He was grinning ear to ear like a child, and she blinked up at him in confusion as he took her hand and hauled her into a sitting position.

"Come on, get dressed in something warm! Lily and I are going to have a snowball fight, Dhar-Mon is coming too, and fuck all if I'm gonna let you be left out!" He stood up and she saw that, over his sweater, he was wearing a black leather jacket lined with very soft looking fur.

"Snow?" She blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Where are we?"

"Hungary, I think. Smells like Europe. Anyway I didn't ask because I was distracted." He rubbed his gloved hands together.

"I thought we were headed to Asia." She asked as she threw the covers off and searched around for her robe. Her thin tank top and leggings were definitely not cutting it in this weather.

"We had to make a pit stop here. Shen needs to re-tune the combustors and Bradford thinks it'll be a good chance to get some intel on any local resistance factions. Now are you coming out with us or not?! I haven't seen snow in years and I fully intend to dunk on Dhar-Mon today!"

She raised a brow at him. "You assume I have any clothes warm enough for snow."

"You can borrow mine!" He shrugged. "And I know you have at least three turtlenecks, those should be perfect. Now hurry up, we have a betting pool going." He winked at her and strode out of the room.

Kon-Mai got to her feet slowly and began to search through her drawers. At first looking for her armor, she instinctively decided against it and instead reached for her yellow wool turtleneck and pulled it over her head. It was instantly warmer, and she sighed in pleasure for a moment before she looked down at herself.

She had accidentally made this shirt about a size too big for her torso, so it was loose and the collar hung down to her chest. Putting it on by itself, she at first did notice how comfortable it was–and then was immediately hit with the shrill voice of her mother: _**You look like a common slob! I'd rather have you fight naked than soil my good name wearing a glorified trash bag!**_

She hastily pulled the sweater off and instead layered a purple tank top over a long-sleeved black shirt. It was nowhere near as warm, but it fit her figure, and perhaps someone would find her presentable in it. Over her leggings she pulled on a thick wool skirt that came down to her ankles, so at least her lower half would be warm.

She made her way down the Avenger halls, and noticed then the smells of something savory cooking. The scent of ginger spice and pine needles hung in the air, accompanying the occasional green wreath hung on the wall. She stopped to admire one, and noticed it was covered in sparkling lights and red berries. It looked almost symbolic, and something about it struck a familiar chord, as though she was remembering a dream of a dream.

As she stepped off the Avenger and into the frosty morning, the cold air hit her like a truck, and she hugged herself, now wishing she had braved her insecurities and brought her turtleneck. Her legs were warm, at least, but the thin material of her shirt let the wet cold seep right through to her bones.

"Kon-Mai!" She heard a familiar voice call out in the distance. Looking out into the snowy valley, she saw Shen waving to her, just as Malinalli came up behind her and tossed a snowball into the back of her head. Shen shrieked, and Malinalli sprinted away, laughing as Shen chased after her.

Kon-Mai waved back, but quickly replaced her hand back on her arm to block out what cold she could. She made her way down the platform, careful not to slide on the quickly forming ice that now coated the ramp. She heard footsteps behind her, and turned, ducking, just as a snowball came rocketing at her from behind.

"Dammit!" Gur-Rai smirked and crossed his arms. "One of these days I'll catch you, Sister, mark my…" His snarky smile dropped like a lead balloon. "Where's your coat?!"

"It was unsightly on me." She protested. "I do not need a coat anyway. I am fine."

"No you are not!" He snapped, shaking off his own jacket and throwing it over her shoulders. "It is 10-fucking-below and you are in a tank top! You're going to freeze!"

"I have long sleeves under." She said as she pulled the coat closer around her, trembling as the icy chill left her body, replaced by the warmth of fur and leather.

"Oh my mistake, didn't realize that your shirt was double layered with fucking cotton." He gently pulled on the thin fabric of her sleeve. "Konnie. You are going to freeze. Take my jacket."

"And what about you?" She asked as she slipped her arms into the sleeves. The jacket was, in fact, slightly small on her, and it hugged her body like a warm blanket. Wrapping it around her middle, she saw that it seemed to hold everything right where it should be, and she smiled in satisfaction.

"I'll be keeping warm by doing this~" Gur-Rai reached his gloved hands into the snow and packed it into a dense snowball. "Hey Brother! Heads up!"

Kon-Mai watched as Dhar-Mon (also heavily bundled up) turned around just in time for Gur-Rai's projectile weapon to hit him in the side of the head. He stumbled a bit, and then reached down and gathered up a snowball the size of a bowling ball. Gur-Rai took off running, dancing and slipping across the snow, and Kon-Mai chuckled as she watched Dhar-Mon aim carefully and launch the snowball directly at his brother. There was a loud thump, and the sound of Gur-Rai laughing.

Kon-Mai reached her bare hands into the freezing snow and gathered it in a ball…

.

.

Dhar-Mon pressed the mug of hot tea into her frostbitten fingers and cupped her hands as he did. "Be careful, Sister. It is very hot."

"I know, Brother. Thank you." She smiled up at him, already feeling the warmth of the liquid in the cup melting the ice that had formed along her skin. She had a warm blanket draped around her shoulders and wrapped in her lap. The canteen was warm, Bryni was cooking something intricate and the heat of the oven spread through it like the heat of a fireplace. Volk was sitting in the corner booth, already three bottles deep into the spiced wine. He and Gur-Rai would occasionally glare at each other from opposite ends of the room, but thankfully no altercation took place.

She looked up as the sound of jingling caught her ear and saw Tiwaz and Tisiphone marching in with boxes full of golden tinsel and green wreaths. A few other soldiers followed them in, and Betos brought up the end of the caravan, looking about as confused as the Chosen were.

"What's all this?" Gur-Rai asked, kicking his feet up on the table and leaning back.

"Decorations." Tisiphone said simply.

"Decorations for what?"

"Uh…" She raised an eyebrow at Tiwaz, who yanked the bottle of wine from Volk's hands (much to the Reaper's drunken protests) and raised it.

"Well from _me_, I wish you all a Happy Yule and a Merry Christmas!" He took a swig of it.

"Then it was you who put the wreaths up." Kon-Mai mused. "I had wondered what those were for."

"You didn't know?" Tisiphone looked up at her. "…Right. No Christmas in ADVENT?"

"It was considered a human tradition." Dhar-Mon interjected, sliding into a booth with Malinalli following his lead and curling up beside him like a happy cat. "In my territory, it was especially hard to stamp out the practice. Many Christians practiced it in secret until we discovered them."

"Well, it has roots in paganism." Tiwaz added. "But yeah, Christmas, Christianity, it's a big thing in a lot of places." He winked.

"By the way you're waving that spiced wine, it looks very interesting~" Gur-Rai leapt to his feet. "What do you do on Christmas, exactly?"

Tisiphone chuckled at his display. "Depends. A lot of soldiers don't celebrate, for various reasons, but those of us that do have a small gathering in the bar, a few of us cook…or attempt to." She glared at Tiwaz, who shrugged sheepishly. "And then we also have a gift exchange for those who want to participate."

Dhar-Mon looked up intently, listening with earnest. "Gifts?"

"Yeah." She climbed up onto one of the tables and reached into the box, grabbing a handful of lights. "Usually you can put your name in a hat and randomly pull out someone to get a gift for, but if you have someone special…" She looked down at him and Malinalli "you might wanna get a gift for her, too."

"It's not necessary, though!" Malinalli insisted. "Besides, Christmas is in, what, a day? We probably won't be stopping by any markets before then, it's not worth worrying about."

"It's on his mind, Molly, there's no stopping it now." Gur-Rai chuckled. "Maybe you _can _give her a _good time_ though, Brother."

"Do not be crude." Dhar-Mon scolded his little brother. "This is a blessed occasion."

"So give her a blessed experience~" Gur-Rai snickered, rolling under the table when Malinalli raised a glowing hand at him.

Kon-Mai gazed at the festive decor still in the box. "How interesting that during such a cold, dark time, humans create their own warmth."

"Humans are very skilled at that." Verge said as he emerged from the kitchen. He was clothed in a black apron and oven mitts, and had bits of oregano sticking to his face. "Even in the depths of despair, they could cling to their beliefs like a lifeline. Even the secular held the warmth of hope close to their hearts."

"Without that hope, we have a tendency to shut down." Tisiphone added. "…Even I haven't broken the habit."

Kon-Mai stared into her teacup, the warm brown liquid reflecting her face back at her. She still looked tired, and her hair was slightly wet from the melting snow.

There was movement to her right, and Betos leaned against the booth, looking down at the Chosen woman. "In the Skirmishers, we also observe the Solstices as sacred days." She mentioned. "The passage of time is an important event for us, each day we are free. That is something to celebrate."

Free. That word hung in the air for a minute until Kon-Mai scooted over and patted the seat beside her. "Tell me more."

Betos hesitated, and Kon-Mai looked up and almost thought she saw Betos blushing pink. But perhaps that was an illusion, as Tisiphone plugged in the decorative lights and they lit up the room in a red glow.

The loudspeaker crackled, and Tisiphone almost lost her balance and toppled over until the Commander's voice came on the comms. _"Gur-Rai Madron and Verge, please report the the armory."_

"Mission?" Malinalli asked.

"Covert ops." Gur-Rai stood. "A shame, I'd much rather spend time with my family in the comfort of our own home, but duty calls~" He waved, striding out of the bar with Verge following behind him.

"By the way, Verge, what do you want for Christmas?"

"Nothing." He said matter-of-factly. "The supposed Christmas phenomenon has been theorized by many wise minds to have merely been an astronomical anomaly that-"

"I'll get you some socks."

"If you do I will never speak to you again."

.

.

"Remember, this isn't a run and gun mission. Bradford said. "We just need you to get as close as you can, get as much information on the terrain as possible, and get out. The faster you can, the better."

"But you said no running." Gur-Rai chuckled, and Bradford rolled his eyes.

"Don't test me, Darkstrider." He stepped back, examining the small team. A different Reaper, an old, greying man named Szabolcs, accompanied them, seemingly paying no mind to his alien comrades. Besides him, Gur-Rai and Verge were the only other people assigned. Basically a skeleton crew.

"You didn't think it was better to send my sister?" Gur-Rai raised a brow. "You know. The _actual _sneaky one."

"Commander's orders, Darkstrider. We need your eyes, not your ears. And your sister-"

"Needs glasses, I know. Maybe I'll get her some for Christmas~"

"Oh you heard, hm?" Bradford chuckled. "Get out there and do a good job and maybe we'll add you to the secret Santa."

Gur-Rai gave Bradford a flippant salute and spun on his heel, striding towards the Skyranger, where Bryni was doing final checks. Verge followed him, but Szabolcs stayed behind for a moment, whispering something to Bradford.

"Don't have time, Szal. Sorry." Bradford murmured. "Maybe next year."

Szabolcs' shoulders slumped noticeably, and he lowered his mask onto his stony face and followed his alien comrades towards the ship.

.

.

The barren trees were decorated with ornaments of icicles and tinsel made of snow, and the three XCOM soldiers quietly made their way through it all like foxes. Gur-Rai kept looking over to Verge, watching for if the snow began to bother his bare feet, but he had assured Gur-Rai that the psionics would keep him warm, and no he did not need shoes. The Darkstrider was told to worry more about his own position: and he barely even noticed that, compared to his compatriots (and despite how objectively heavy he was), he seemed to glide across the thin top layer without ever sinking to the packed ice underneath.

"There's the city center." Verge stopped them, pointing forward towards the horizon, where a thin silver line stopped the sky dead in its tracks. "Remember, do not get too close. I can listen with my psionics but my range of sight is limited. That is where you two are needed."

"My eyes were better 20 years ago." Szabolcs muttered, shifting beside Gur-Rai and drawing his weapon. He did so delicately, and the click of his rifle was barely audible.

Gur-Rai smiled and gazed down his scope toward the wall. "You could say a lot of things were better 20 years ago." He remarked. "But I think we'll be able to manage."

Szabolcs said nothing. He shifted away from the Darkstrider and leapt up onto the low branch of a tree.. "I'm going to see if I can get closer."

"Be my guest." Gur-Rai held his position. While he understood the Commander's reasoning, he really thought she should have recruited his sister for this instead. Her cloak would have been useful here. Come to think of it, it was the Elders he was angry at for not giving him that cloak in the first place. Figures his siblings got all the cool toys.

_"I have a visual on the Center Wall."_ Szabolcs called within a few short moments.

"Copy that, I'm heading to 2 o' clock." With Verge hidden, Gur-Rai also climbed the slippery trunk and perched himself in the branches of a tree, crawling along like some sort of prehistoric sloth. He got as close as he could, close enough that he could see the black figures of the ADVENT guard patrol, and shimmied from one tree to another with cat-like agility. The ancient wood was tall enough to see clear over the gate and into the cobblestone city center, and gazing into it, he was thrown for a loop for just a moment.

Humans milled about calmly and happily, muttering and talking to each other as friends and neighbors as if there _wasn't_ a war going on, and as if the most dangerous predator alive wasn't sitting less than a mile away, with a gun that could blow them into red paste if he so wished. He lowered his rifle and just stared into the courtyard for a moment, watching each and every figure, the sounds of their laughter and gossip melting together into a warm memory. He closed his eyes…

_"-strider. Darkstrider!"_

"Hm? I'm awake, over." Gur-Rai snapped back to alertness at the sound of Verge's voice. "What've you got for me, Pal?"

_"I am not quite sure. I've never heard this name before, it might be code."_ Gur-Rai felt a gentle tugging at the back of his head. _"Connect to my mind, Darkstrider. You have walked among the humans, perhaps you know this."_

Gur-Rai closed his eyes a moment and imagined the feeling in the back of his head spreading through his skull. He was no stranger to psionic networks and when he opened his eyes again, he felt Verge's presence beside him, even though the Sectoid was several feet away at least. He blinked, and felt Verge's gaze turn through his eyes toward the City Center again.

Gur-Rai pressed his scope back to his eye, and like Verge could now see through his eyes, he could now hear the conversations with terrifying clarity as the former's psionics drew closer to a pair of humans huddled by a streetlamp, sharing a newspaper.

_"Can you hear?"_ Verge asked, and Gur-Rai could hear his voice as though he was standing beside him.

"Yeah." It felt strange to be able to pick out the conversation itself from the white noise that usually filled his ears when he focused on something, but he could hear their voices and…

"I don't speak Hungarian." He muttered.

"I do." Szabolcs said. "Verge. Can I translate over this thing? I grew up in Szekszárd so if anyone would recognize their conversation, it'd be me."

"You can. Let me assist…" He felt Verge detach from him for a moment, and then all of a sudden the Hungarian words the two people spoke twisted in Gur-Rai's mind, becoming recognizable.

"So if you can get Myra and Sandor to this checkpoint here, Szent Miklós will meet us at this one. I can lead you halfway but you have to be swift. Leave behind anything not absolutely necessary for the journey." One of the people said in a man's deep voice, pointing to various spots on the newspaper.

"Myra is pregnant, Erno, we cannot move swiftly." The other, also a man but much more timid, said. "I am not sure about this."

"It was you who came to me, remember? And now that you know all this, I can't just let you walk back to your ADVENT job. They'll torture you to find our route. It's not only your family who is risking everything."

The other man was silent. Gur-Rai could see him scratching his dark hair under his knit cap. It looked intricate. Maybe Myra had made it for him.

"Norbaer." Erno hissed sharply. "Szent Miklós will not wait for you, alone."

"I know. But if we are caught?" He shook his head. "I have so many worries."

"If they catch you, they'll kill you, and then you won't be worried about anything." Erno shoved the newspaper into Norbaer's hands. "The train is going east at 10:30, hurry and you will not miss it!" He almost shouted, undoubtedly to distract authorities.

"Seems like this _Szent Miklós_ is a revolutionary of sorts." Gur-Rai chuckled. "We might have an ally out here…" He felt something tugging on the side of his head, toward where he knew Szabolcs was sitting. Following the pull, he felt a feeling of warmth spread over him, the smell of gingerbread, the sound of singing…

_"I don't suppose either of you were in Hungary before the war."_ Szabolcs said, his voice clear. _"Szent Miklos is who you call Saint Nicholas."_

"And unless Saint Nicholas was some kind of alien warlord, I don't know him either…" Gur-Rai said, but something deep in his stomach was pulling at him. That same warm feeling, and he felt a wave of brief joy.

_"Santa Claus."_ Szabolcs waited for his reaction, and ultimately got none. _"Are you sure you were human before?"_

_"Many human cultures do not have a Santa figure."_ Verge said in Gur-Rai's defense. _"But to explain, Gur-Rai, the person he is referring to is a winter gift-bringer, rooted in various Christian and pagan beliefs."_ He felt Verge's mind shifting, and Gur-Rai closed his eyes as images and information flooded him. The image of a red bearded man looked so familiar it gave him pause._ "I believe ADVENT cut the idea of Santa Claus from public culture. He was deemed heretical, for this very reason: people tended to rally around his name around Yuletide."_

_"Inciting rebellion. Never something I would have pinned on the old man…" _Szabolcs muttered._ "But they're talking about him like he's an actual person…"_

"Maybe it's metaphorical." Gur-Rai scanned the courtyard again for any other signs of rebellion. "The day waits for no one and all that."

_"Hm."_ Szabolcs was not convinced, he could feel it. _"I think we should bring this to the Commander."_

"And tell her, what exactly? That Santa Claus is leading an exodus from the City Center?" Gur-Rai chuckled. "She's a weird one, but I think that'll be a stretch, even for her."

_"Darkstrider!"_ Bryni called over the radio. _"I need ya!"_

"What happened, Bryni?" He asked. "Unless you're asking me out in which case, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait-"

_"I just sighted a hostile less'n 30 bootprints from the Skyranger!"_ She snapped. _"I got my gun but it's lookin' to be a Muton, and if that lad gets a hit on the turbines, ain't none of us goin' home!"_

With a snap, the psionic link was cut, and Gur-Rai slid down the tree trunk, Szabolcs landing in the snow several feet away. Verge darted out from behind a tree, and the three began the sprint back to the Skyranger.

Gur-Rai was impressed, not only at Verge's ability to keep up with him, but with Szabolcs running a mere foot behind him and almost keeping pace. Reapers never ceased to amaze him.

The three broke the treeline, emerging into the snowy clearing to find nothing out of the ordinary, except for Bryni standing in the now, gun in hand and shaking in her boots. The Darkstrider ran up to her and grabbed her shoulder, which made her shriek and jump two feet in the air, whipping around and pointing the gun at his face.

His hands went up. "Don't shoot, it's me."

"Santa's fat wrinkly ballsack, Darkstrider! You scared the bajeebies out of me." She sighed. "I dunno how many are out there, but I counted one Muton in the trees."

"Maybe it's just the one." Verge offered. "If we were discovered, I have my doubts ADVENT would shirk on the manpower needed to capture the Skyranger."

"You are correct, Sectoid."

Verge, Szabolcs, Gur-Rai and Bryni all drew their guns as a lone Muton emerged from the snowy trees, dressed not in ADVENT armor, but in a suit of reddish-brown leather, lined with fur. His mouth was obscured by the usual black, metallic contraption hammered into his face, and when he spoke again, his speech rang almost mechanical, as though he were talking through an artificial voice box.

"There is no need for weapons, I assure you I'm very friendly…well. Relatively speaking." The Muton's English was accented and slightly broken, but he spoke elegantly and well.

"Identify yourself." Szabolcs demanded, pointedly cocking his gun.

"I am called Miklós." He said. "And from your insignia, you are XCOM." He raised a brow.

"Miklós?" Gur-Rai lowered his gun slightly. "…Don't tell me. Szent Miklós?"

"That is what the people call me." He reached for the large weapon on his back but did not pull it. "I am not here to fight you, XCOM. I was hoping you would arrive. I am here to request your help, if you will give it."

.

.

It wasn't easy to explain to Bradford why they had come back from the mission with a Muton dressed in a bootleg Ranger Santa costume. But it also wasn't easy to fit Miklós into the Skyranger, but with some careful finagling, they managed that.

And Gur-Rai's silver tongue could do a _lot_ more than finagle when he needed it to.

Bradford rubbed his temples and turned to Senuna, who was standing there with her hands behind her back, looking more introspective than Gur-Rai had ever seen her. "Well, Sunny?" Bradford asked.

"…Well he looks like Santa." Senuna chirped.

"I…I'm not asking that." Bradford sighed. "I'm asking if we take up his request for help." Bradford looked back at Miklós. "Look, if this were a haven that needed help, I'd be all over this, but for one thing you're asking us to go after an ADVENT city center."

"That is incorrect. I would never ask you to launch a full scale attack on an ADVENT center." The Muton clarified. "Even I am aware of your human limitations. I am asking you to help me get people out."

"How?" Bradford crossed his arms. "We walk in and just demand the citizens be handed over?"

"I'm guessing we meet them at the checkpoints." Gur-Rai butt in. "And we go from there."

Miklos looked over at Gur-Rai. The two stood at about the same height, but Miklós' burly physique still made him look slightly taller than Gur-Rai. "…How did you know this?"

"A little Verge told me." He chuckled. "We overheard it during our Covert Ops. Two men discussing meeting up with 'Szcent Miklós' at 'the checkpoint'." He smirked. "Am I on the money?"

Miklós nodded. "Yes…this is not my first raid." He admitted. "Each year for the past six years, there has been a mass exodus of ADVENT citizens from the centers along the Danube. ADVENT's technology has so far failed to either find an explanation for this security flaw, or stop it from recurring."

"It's you?" Senuna said, stepping towards the Muton and leaning forward. "You're breaking people out en masse? How do you keep it secure like you have?"

"These raids when I broke free of my own shackles." He admitted. His metallic voice cracked a bit under the muzzle he still wore. "When the winter snow fell on the solstice, I fled, and in my hurry many humans followed me closely into the woods of the Gemenc. There was confusion at first." He clasped his gloved hands, and Gur-Rai noticed him pulling on the fur-lined cuff of his suit. "But as the dust settled, and they came to realize I would not hurt them, they began to call me 'Szcent Miklós.' Saint Nicholas. I knew not the power that name held…" He hesitated. "You, Commander, understand the power of a name."

"I do…" She sighed. "So why do you need us now? You seemed like you were getting along fine before."

"I fear that the lapses in ADVENT's judgement may be lessening." He admitted. "In the recent months they have become stringent with their patrols. More citizens go missing, more soldiers appear. And there have been whispers of an Officer dressed in black, with a helmet curved into horns, who stalks the snowy walls."

"Sounds like something you'd tell kids to scare them." Bradford said.

"You know ADVENT, and so do I. I dare not risk confronting such a force alone. The power of a name is great. But bullets still tear flesh."

Senuna's face was soft and sympathetic. "…I know what a bullet can do." She said softly, rubbing her shoulder as if nursing a wound. "What do you need from us?"

Miklós' face radiated relief for a moment. Then he straightened up. "I don't know where the compromised checkpoint is, but there are three all together. The first is inside the inner city, by the train station. It is always guarded by two troopers."

Senuna turned to Bradford. "How likely is Betos to attempt my murder if I suggest two of her Skirmishers handle that?"

"Betos? Not as likely as Geist but more likely than Volk. I can ask her for you."

"No, I will. She'll _definitely_ kill you" She turned back to Miklós. "Next?"

"The second checkpoint is the outer wall, the one the Hunter was perched beside." He continued, gesturing to Gur-Rai and ignoring his discomfort at being called Hunter. "Those are also guarded by ADVENT, but they have been lax in previous years. They have Chryssalid hounds at the gate, who apparently can sniff out dissent, though I suspect they simply smell for unusual items on a person: cooked meat, used blankets, things people would bring if they were running. If innocents are caught up in their stringent policing, so be it, as they say"

"Hm." Senuna clasped her hands to her lips. "Not sure if we can sneak past them quietly, but…"

"How about a distraction?" Gur-Rai asked. "I know hunting animals, and Chryssalids have a worse attention span than me. I bet all it would take is some old meat scattered around the area for them to lose focus. Backup plan is I start blasting."

"It's as good a plan as any." Bradford nodded. "And the last one?"

"The third checkpoint is in the woods, once they are out of sight from ADVENT. That is where I meet them, and when I lead them into the forest and to freedom. A few soldiers as reinforcements is all I ask for this."

Senuna nodded. "I can spare some, I think." She turned to Bradford. "How's that sound?"

"I can't argue with it." He shrugged. "It's not gonna be easy but, hell, we've pulled off more complicated operations before."

.

.

The black-clad man stalked the metal halls, his boots clunking on the grates loud enough to alert everyone that _he_ was here. They ducked their heads, careful to keep as close to the walls as possible, His eyeless mask could see perfectly, and he tilted his head slightly as he scanned the hall, making his way up to the door as it slid open and he stepped inside.

A sickly sweet voice greeted him. **"Officer Krlampos."** The Elders spoke, _Vox Abyzou_ in front and her two husbands on each side, mimicking her words. **"You have been appointed with the task of securing the city, and ensuring the safety and compliance of the civilians within. And in this, so far, you have pleased us."**

Krlampos smiled, and his teeth were almost as sharp as their Chosens' had been. "I live only to serve you…" It was a lie, but they all knew it. Going through the motions was a formality. _They_ lived for their ego, _he _lived for the stench of blood.

**"We know that the traitorous M1K42 will strike again this year. The eve of December 24th shall be his date of operation. We cannot allow such travesties to continue unmitigated. This is the year we must act."**

"Yes, _Mordenna_." Krlampos cooed, running his tongue over his teeth. "I shall sniff him out of the forest, and I shall rend his flesh before his heretical followers, so they may see him as mortal."

**"We know you will succeed. But be warned."** Abyzou held up a hand.** "He has bested others before, others we trusted. ****_Will you fail us, Krlampos?"_**

_"Never."_ He dropped to his knees and could not hold back a chuckle. "The traitor's last sight shall be bullets glinting in the snowlight."

.

.

Resting her head back against the booth, Kon-Mai pulled her blanket around her knees. Her brother had been right: going out in the cold had been a bad idea, she could feel her immune system struggling to make up for the lapse in defense the cold had brought on. In the meantime, though, Tiwaz was bringing her fresh mugs of ginger tea, and the warmth of the room itself was starting to put her to sleep.

"Shrinemaiden, I think you should retire to your room." Betos said matter-of-factly. "You look unwell."

"Just frigid." She pulled the second blanket closer. "This is helping quite a bit. And I want you to continue talking, Betos. These stories are most intriguing."

Betos smiled. "I am glad you enjoy my tales, but I am not glad if they come at the expense of your health." She scooted closer and wrapped the blanket tighter around Kon-Mai's body. "What else do you want to know?"

Kon-Mai thought for a moment, and felt herself lapse into sleep for half a second. _Maybe Betos was right…_ "I have been to your camp. Does it have snow in the winter?"

Betos chuckled. "Not often, but sometimes up in the mountains, frost forms on the leaves. The desert can be quite cold." She admitted. "I have seen the children present the sand in the desert is snow; they use it to make snowmen and take their sleds up the hills."

"They know these traditions?" Kon-Mai looked up at her curiously. "When they are so young?"

Betos nodded. "I believe their parents…well, those who do remember their lives before they were mutated, may have shown them, and from there they formed their own tradition with the materials they had." She looked up as heavy footsteps joined them in the dining hall. "Speaking of, Dhar-Mon. What have you got in your hands?"

"It is yarn…" He sat down across from them and discarded the tangled know onto the table. "Or it _was_. I was attempting to fashion it into a scarf."

"For who?" Kon-Mai reached forward and took it, noticing the cold around her shoulder as she removed herself from Betos' hold. "I should think your thick locks could act as enough protection for your neck~"

Dhar-Mon rolled his eyes. "It was for Malinalli…was being the operative word. I do not know what to get her now."

"As a gift?" Kon-Mai raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. If it is customary to exchange gifts with loved ones, I cannot accept the possibility that I may neglect her on our first holiday as…a couple." Dhar-Mon's eyes fluttered down and he smiled slightly when he said that.

Kon-Mai leaned her head back against Betos again, seemingly not even noticing the action (or Betos' wide smile as she did so). "I am certain she will be happy to just spend the eve with you, Brother." She assured him.

"Yes, gifts are nice but they're not necessary." Betos added. "We're in a war, and every day we are alive is a gift. Do not worry about materials when it is your presence I am sure she loves."

Kon-Mai could feel her brother was unconvinced, and she scooted even closer to him and closed her eyes. "She loves you, Brother." She assured him. "This I promise you."

There was a blaring alarm above them, and the Commander's voice came on the radio: _"Would the following soldiers please report to the Commander's Quarters: Betos Yves, Kon-Mai Mordenna, Dhar-Mon Madron, Artume Rama, Gopala Notos, Prabhu Mahesha, Lew Friduric, Viljem Alojz, Timotej Szabolcs, Ruzena Kadri…."_

As the Commander continued listing off a fairly impressive number of soldiers, Kon-Mai got to her feet, despite Betos grabbing for her hand. "Are you sure you are well to go? I'll tell the Commander, you need your rest."

She nodded. "The chill has left my body, thanks to you." She assured her. "And whatever is requiring this many soldiers? I believe I want to see it."

.

.

They met up with Gur-Rai and Verge in the hallway, and the former seemed to be excited to see them. "I couldn't wait to tell you." He put a hand on Dhar-Mon's shoulder. "Santa is real."

Dhar-Mon blinked, his eyes wide, while Kon-Mai looked cluelessly between the two of them.

"The gift-brining mythological figure that visits every Christmas." Verge clarified. "And by real, Gur-Rai means that a Muton by the name of Miklós has mantled this figure, in a sense."

"How nice." Kon-Mai smirked. "Is he here to bring us gifts for being good little soldiers?"

"I wish it were that simple. But no." Verge gestured for them to follow. "The Commander will fill you in when we arrive, but he is staging an escape from the nearby City Center in Szekszárd, and will need our help to complete it."

"An escape?" Dhar-Mon echoed.

"Apparently he's done this so much that ADVENT is starting to catch on." Gur-Rai knocked once on the Commander's door. "We're supposed to make sure the whole operation runs smoothly."

The door slid open just as a Reaper and two Skirmishers emerged from the room, leaving space for the three Chosen and their Sectoid friend. Malinalli was inside, already dressed in her combat uniform, standing beside the Commander's desk and looking up at the large, red man beside her.

The man…the Muton man… bowed his head…and then looked up at the other two Chosen with mild shock. "Vox Nergal." He said. "…Rumors were that you were dead."

"Those rumors are quite old and quite inaccurate." He chuckled. "I am scarred, but I am alive. Malinalli is to thank for that."

His lover danced across to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "The Commander is sending me to the established Haven." She said. "I won't be close enough to see the action but when you get everyone across safely, I can treat them."

"It will just be a matter of keeping them alive that long." Kon-Mai nodded. "Verge introduced us to the concept but I assume that you are Miklós?" She nodded to the Muton.

He bowed his head in reverence to her. "Vox Prima, it is a blessing to see you well. Yes, the humans call me Szent Miklós, but you knew me once as M1K42."

She blinked slowly. "…You were there during the annexation of Turkmenistan." She realized. "I thought you were killed."

"Not quite, but the damage to my chip was irreversible." He noted. "And that was when I defected."

"A common story, but one we appreciate." Betos approached the taller alien. "We are glad to assist you, Brother."

"As you can see he's not exactly the jolly old man you might expect." Gur-Rai gestured to the Muton. "But he's got the spirit."

"And so our mission is to guide these lost disciples to his safe haven." Dhar-Mon mused. "Hm. How ironically fitting."

"Indeed." Senuna chuckled. "Gather round, children, I'll explain the plan one more time and then you'll all get suited up. Firebrand will be taking people out in groups: the Skyranger is only so big, after all."

.

.

Kon-Mai refused to let her brothers go without their coats on her account. At least her reinforced armor was slightly warmer than her regular clothing, and thus she was able to mostly shrug off the biting chill.

Miklós led them through the dark trees, the setting sun casting an orange glow through the trees that got dimmer as they went deeper and deeper. The slight decline of the ground turned steep, and she saw Dhar-Mon nearly slide off balance and reached out to steady him.

"Everyone alright?" Gur-Rai called back.

"I am fine." Dhar-Mon assured his siblings, even as Malinalli made her way back to hold onto his arm. He wrapped his hand around her shoulder and pulled her close, and the group kept walking.

Kon-Mai, dancing over the snow like an agile cat, made her way up beside Miklós, who now had his Gatling gun drawn and his woolen hood pulled up. "Are we not too close to the town? This haven might already be in danger."

"These woods are vicious, even to ADVENT." Miklós said. His muzzle dampened and muffled his mechanical voice. "And where we are going is safe."

Kon-Mai nodded, deciding to merely trust him on that. She reached up and felt along her throat, the interior of which was beginning to grow itchy.

"You are unprotected, Mordenna." Miklós said. "From the cold."

"I do not have any armored winter wear." That was…technically a lie, but the thought of trying to put on that bulky fleece jacket again made her nauseous. "I need to move quickly during combat and I cannot do that in fleece."

"You should not sacrifice your health for such a performance." He insisted. "Beauty comes from the love one carries for themselves, not in the curves of one's body."

She stopped to glare at him, but Miklós just kept moving as though he had said nothing to her at all. In the treeline, an animal stirred, and the sound of a deer's hooves crunching in the snow caught her ears. She cleared her throat, ignoring the burning itch, and carried on.

They reached a line of trees that grew more dense than the forest they had been walking through. Kon-Mai had to turn on her side to squeeze through, and Dhar-Mon got stuck more than once. Gur-Rai shimmied up the tall trees and began leaping from branch to branch like the possums he so loved, and was the first to catch sight of the campfire in the center of the grove. "Is this it?"

"This is it." Miklós said, his voice soft and relaxed. "This is home." He let his gun drop and lifted his head, letting out a familiar roar that, in fact, somewhat resembled a Berserker.

Instead of fear, there was a cheer of excitement, and from the shadows ran a tiny dark figure that launched itself toward Miklós. He caught it and pulled it into a hug, and Gur-Rai jumped down to see it was a human child, with faintly tanned skin and dark hair falling from under her knitted bonnet.

Kon-Mai approached slowly, and from the shadows, more humans began to emerge, dressed in warm clothing and watching them curiously. She looked down as the child wiggled out of Miklós' arms and ran up to her, jumping up and down and babbling in Hungarian.

"Hhagyja az asszonyt." Miklós said to the girl. "Haimini, hagyd békén a nőt."

"It is alright." Kon-Mai knelt in the snow, a wide smile on her face as she seemed to totally let her walls down around the child. "Her excitement is a blessing. Who's child is she?"

"Mine." Miklós said. "She was merely a year old when I first escaped ADVENT. In the chase, her mother was…" He didn't finish the sentence, but if he had been worried about the child hearing, she was paying him no mind, already trying to climb up Kon-Mai's leg like it was a tree. "She only lived long enough to tell me the child's name: Haimini."

Kon-Mai stooped and scooped the child into her arms, letting her sit up tall against her shoulder. Haimini began to tug at Kon-Mai's hair with her gloved fingers, and Kon-Mai gently pulled her hand away.

"We'll need to start getting everything set up." Malinalli said. "Gratia and I can start putting up a triage unit if you tell us where to put it."

"Between two of the back huts, I would say is the best place." Miklós murmured. He looked back around to the other soldiers. "You are free to rest until the sun is down but then we must go."

"Are the others in position?" Gur-Rai asked.

"I received word from Artume that she and Gopala are at the train station." Dhar-Mon confirmed. "No one has suspected them of being imposters. Yet."

"Well scanning for the chip isn't as regular protocol as it should be." Gur-Rai chuckled. "I'm going to high tail it to the gates and meet up with the Reapers. See you guys on the other side." He hopped up and gave both his siblings a kiss on the forehead, and then grappled into the trees and shuffled away.

Kon-Mai looked back at the little girl in her arms, who was wiggling to get down. She set Haimini in the snow, and the child ran up to Dhar-Mon and began jumping up and down, indicating she wanted to be picked up.

Malinalli stopped walking for a moment to watch as Dhar-Mon complied, lifting Haimini up onto his shoulders, and the sight of him and the child laughing together was a gift.

.

.

Gur-Rai came up behind the three black-clad figures, hissing quietly. "I could smell the package from two miles away."

"Lew managed to find a dead stag." One of them said. She Was holding her nose with one hand and aiming her gun with the other. "If the Chryssalids don't go for this, then this plan was always doomed to failure."

Gur-Rai smirked, trying to push away the anxiety that that statement gave him, and crawled up higher into the trees, looking down his scope. "Hey Ruzena; know the signal?"

"Yeah. Our contact is Erno Jarilo, he's going to be wearing a blue baseball cap." Ruzena turned to her compatriots. "I say we start getting the carcass bits into place before they get here."

"It might give away our position." Lew replied.

"It will give away our position if we keep holding it!" One of the others snapped, his accent thick. "I can barely see over the stench, just toss it into the snow!"

Ruzena climbed down, and Gur-Rai followed as she reached into the bag and pulled out a slimy piece of stag meat. "Here."

He hesitated considerably, almost wishing he had the capability to throw up.

"What's wrong?" She raised a brow.

"Nothing." He swallowed, then regretted it as the air now tasted like rotten meat. "I-"

"They're in position!" Lew hissed into the comm. "Throw that shit and get under cover!"

Ruzena didn't wait for Gur-Rai, instead she reached into the bag herself and chuckled the slimy meat into the snow as close to the gate as she could. Then she and the Darkstrider scrambled back up the trees and ducked down, hoping they were concealed.

The line of people exiting the city center didn't look too different from how it had been, but Gur-Rai definitely saw the baseball cap. Behind Erno, Norbaer was there too, holding the hand of a heavily pregnant woman and carrying a small boy in his arms. Gur-Rai hunkered down and pulled his rifle off his back, getting a sinking feeling in his gut.

The Chryssalids seemed to falter a bit when Erno walked by, and Gur-Rai held his breath and prayed that they would be good little bugs and just ignore them. The guards stopped the line, cornering Erno with their rifles. Gur-Rai took aim at one of the officers with his own and looked for a spot to grapple to. If nothing else, he was _going _to get the kids to safety.

Then the Chryssalid reared back and turned around, diving into the snow and pulling the trooper holding its leash along with it. It dug into the white piles, searching for the stag Ruzena had discarded. The other two followed suit, breaking formation in the confusion. Gur-Rai had to stifle a laugh, because now was not the time for jokes unfortunately.

He grappled above them and landed in the snow before the group, causing almost everyone to cry out in horror.

"God dammit Darkstrider!" Ruzena ran up behind him and held her hands up. "It's okay! We're with XCOM!"

"Where's Szent Miklós?" Erno demanded.

"He's at the third checkpoint but-" Before she could get the words out, the sound of a machine gun firing at them made everyone duck, and Ruzena screamed as the bullets hit her shoulder.

Gur-Rai pulled her behind him and pointed his rifle at the person attacking them. "You know where you need to go?!" He shouted to Erno. "Now's your chance!" He looked behind him to see the growing crowd of people just standing there, and he growled and tore his pistol off his hip and fired it into the snow. "GO!"

The humans began to scatter as the Reapers dove down from the trees, defending them against the officers with their own fire. There weren't many, and the Chryssalids were still distracted, but Gur-Rai knew that once the moldy meat was gone, the monsters would turn on them and they'd be at a disadvantage.

As he thought that, he heard a roar from behind him, and then a laugh that sent shivers down his spine. "If it isn't the famous _Hunter_. I never thought you'd have the…_guts _to show your face again." There was a sound like tearing flesh, and the stench of rotten meat overwhelmed him.

Gur-Rai whirled around and backed up a few steps, more shocked than horrified. The man before him was shorter than him, but not that short, and his ADVENT armor was pitch black even where the metal should have shown through. His triangular helmet curled up at the tips, giving him the illusion of having horns. He lifted the rotten meat to his lips, maggots dripping off it into the snow, and sank his shark-like teeth into it.

Gur-Rai pointed his pistol at the officer's head, noticing his own hand shaking. "I don't care what gets you off in your free time." He snapped. "But I have a job to do, and you're getting in the way of that right now, so kindly perform a Christmas miracle and fuck right off."

The officer laughed again, and Gur-Rai saw him raise a finger, to which the Chrysalids followed. He took another step back, his blood running colder than the snow.

"What a _terrible lad_ you've been this year." The officer hissed. "Try and run to your family. There is no hiding from Krlampos."

Gur-Rai turned on his heel and sprinted for the trees, just as a blinding pain erupted across his back. For a moment, he expected to find himself in the Elders' chamber again, so burning and agonizing was the sensation, and he could almost hear Camazotz laughing as he fell.

Then the chatter of Chryssalids brought him back to reality, and he tugged his pistol out and fired off at them, scooting backward in a panic as he did.

Krlampos cackled, laughing as the once proud Chosen struggled through a bloody haze to get away. The Chryssalids, ignoring the bullets and the danger, lunged forward towards their prey.

.

.

Kon-Mai heard the scream.

She shot up from her spot behind cover (not that it was needed, she was cloaked) and saw the humans begin to trickle into the woods as they sprinted towards the third checkpoint. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she saw her brother was not among them.

Miklós stood up from his position as well, waving toward the humans. Most of them saw him and gathered around him, and only a few stragglers disappeared into the darkness.

The Shrinemaiden stepped forward, taking down her cloak and revealing herself to the people. A few of them screamed, but most of them were too out of breath. One woman collapsed in the snow, sobbing, and Kon-Mai knelt down beside her.

"You are safe." She tried to assure her. "We are here to help you."

The woman said something in Hungarian, and Kon-Mai heard Miklós let out a small wail. "The Reapers have been cornered, they are holding back the attackers."

Kon-Mai looked up. "…And my brother? What about Gur-Rai?!"

Miklós shook his head. "He stayed to fight them, she doesn't know where he is now." He knelt beside the woman. "Mennünk kell."

Kon-Mai felt a hand on her shoulder, and Dhar-Mon pulled her to her feet just as a shrill cry filled the air. Miklós seemed to deflate, and before Kon-Mai could ask what was wrong, he reached for his Gatling gun.

"I am so sorry, Vox Prima." He murmured. "It seems your brother has failed…"

Kon-Mai tried to make a mad dash towards the noises, desperate to get to Gur-Rai, but Dhar-Mon grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.

"Let me go." She spat. "LET ME GO! HE NEEDS HELP!"

"I refuse to lose you both tonight…!" Dhar-Mon's voice cracked, and as Kon-Mai looked up at him, tears were streaming down his face. "Run, Sister! Run and do not look back!"

"Only if you run with me!" She took his hand in hers and yanked him along, calling over her shoulder. "FOLLOW US! THIS WAY!"

The humans got to their feet, spurned on by the sounds of shrieking in the distance, and Miklós kept his gate steady, guiding them through dark and confusing woods like children. Kon-Mai felt her breath growing ragged, and behind her Dhar-Mon's foot caught on something and he tripped, falling forward into the snow. She doubled back for him, looping her arm under his and pulling him to his knees.

"We must survive…" She whimpered. "Malinalli is waiting for you. Do not abandon her on Christmas."

"I hear them." He clung to his sister like a frightened child. "Sister, I hear them drawing closer…!"

She wrapped her arms around him, staring back into the darkness as the sound of screams drew closer. The shape of Miklós faded with the light, leaving them in darkness and in cold.

Kon-Mai pressed her face into her big brother's shoulder. "Listen to me." She hissed. "I will not let you die too. On your feet, Brother, right now. _We are going home._" She pulled Dhar-Mon to a standing position, and with him leaning on her, she began to make her way through the darkness.

The screams behind them kept growing louder, but her trained ears also picked up another set of footsteps, trailing them silently. For a moment she hoped it was Gur-Rai, but the footsteps were far too heavy, far too calloused. She tried to pull Dhar-Mon along with her faster, but the snow was too thick, and he stumbled again. As they slowed, she heard the footsteps come up right behind them, and reached back to draw her sword before a sudden, blinding pain tore across her back.

Dhar-Mon screamed out loud, and she lost her grip on him, collapsing into the snow herself. Luckily, she had already drawn her blade, and as she went down she rolled onto her injured back and swiped upward, knocking her assailant off balance. He stumbled backwards in the snow, and she saw a tall, black shadow with a helmet shaped like horns and a smile like shark teeth. In both of his hands, he held black leather hunting crops that was tipped with silver razor blades and glinted in the moonlight.

She heard Dhar-Mon still moaning in pain, and raised her arm to defend herself as the demon raised the whip again. She had dealt with worse punishments from the Elders, she told herself, but instead of hitting her, he turned and brought the whip down on her brother's back again instead. There was a sound of tearing flesh, and Kon-Mai let out a shriek that could have rivaled the Chryssalids

She leapt to her feet and ran at the assailant like (quite literally) a woman possessed. He had not been expecting her attack, and she managed to knock him off kilter for a moment and land a glancing strike to his thigh. She tried to bring her sword down on his head, and he blocked it with his hand, leaving a splatter of blood on fresh snow. She yanked her sword away and tried to strike again, when suddenly her vision began to swim, and she stumbled, dropping to one knee.

The demon laughed at her as she fell, landing on her hip and hands, doing all she could just to stay conscious. She felt warm blood dripping down her back, but even that was growing colder. She heard her soon-to-be killer chuckle one last time.

"Vox Prima." He spoke, and his voice was as cold as ice and as painful as venom. "The Elders will want you back with your head still intact. But I'm sure they won't mind if I take your guts for myself. 'Tis the season to give, after all."

She tried to get back to her feet, but her entire body felt like wet paper, and she fell to her knees.

"Your brothers…" He licked his lips. "My mouth is watering at the scent of their blood already. I can practically taste their flesh. The Hunter was scrawny, my pets can chew on his bones. But this one…" He grabbed Dhar-Mon by the hair and yanked his head back, causing the latter to grunt in pain "…this one is dripping with vitality. An excellent meal, worthy of Krlampos." He let the Hieromonk drop to the ground, limp. "Now my dear. Saturn is rising, and it is time to feast."

Kon-Mai closed her eyes, took a breath so deep it strained her lungs, and used the last of her strength to throw herself toward Krlampos. She drove the sword into his shoulder, just as the tree beside her erupted in orange flame.

He shoved her, she stumbled, but instead of him continuing after her, there was a loud clunk, and then the sound of bullets being fired. Krlampos seemed to spasm and stumbled backward, tripping over a log and falling into the snow.

Kon-Mai looked up and saw the red shadow of Miklós, his Gatling gun now ablaze as it spewed fire from the hidden nozzle she had not seen.

She dove for her brother, who was already getting to his feet, slowly. His purple robes were stained burgundy with his blood, and he cried in pain as he reached for his hammer, but as Krlampos got back to his feet, Dhar-Mon let out a great yell and, hammer charged with psionic energy, charged him. He swung, and Yseult slammed into Krlampos' side and sent him stumbling towards Miklós.

As Miklós turned towards the officer, Krlampos righted himself, readied his whips and lunged forward, cutting upward as he lashed out. The blades along the tips were sharp enough to leave dents in the metal, but Miklós seemed unfazed by this. He turned his gun on Krlampos' face, and the latter barely managed to duck out of the way. He dove into the snow and slid under Miklós' legs, raking his whip across the latter's heel and sending him down on one knee. Coming up behind him meant that he also managed to land a slash across the back of Miklós' neck. His thicker skin protected him some, but not by much.

"And now ends the legend." Krlampos raised his whip one last time. "Here lies Szent Miklós."

There was a loud bang that seemed to shatter the forest, and Kon-Mai saw a flash of purple to her right as Krlampos went stumbling to the side.

Miklós took that moment to recover his bearings and stood, training his gun on Krlampos. There was no mercy in his eyes as he pulled the lever on the back and let the flames engulf the trees. The screams of the black-clad officer were secondary only to Kon-Mai's wail.

Gur-Rai slid from the tree, covered in gashes and dripping blood. His sister tackled him as he limped over to her, and he had not the strength nor desire to protest her. The two fell back in the snow and Kon-Mai wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, not letting up until he mumbled "ow."

"He is alive." Dhar-Mon crawled over, scooping both of the young ones into his arms. "You are alive."

"I'm alive." Gur-Rai croaked. "My armor took most of the hits…" His head lolled back slightly, and Kon-Mai was reminded that even if they were back together, they were still in the wilderness and would undoubtedly freeze and/or bleed to death without help.

"Miklós." She called weakly, turning to where Krlampos continued to burn.

Miklós seemed not to hear her for a minute, despite the ADVENT Officer's screams having died with him. She called to him again, and this time he turned and went to them, taking Kon-Mai by the hand and pulling her to her feet.

"Home is not far…" He said softly. "And dawn is almost here. Merry Christmas, my Chosen."

.

.

The stars were beginning to wane as Betos walked into the camp, following the blood trail in the forest. "I should have gone on this one." She crossed her arms over her jacket and sighed.

"Commander's orders." Volk muttered. "I swear if my Reapers aren't all in one piece…"

"Does that include Gur-Rai?" Betos looked over to the circle of wooden huts that seemed to have merged in with the trees themselves. "Molly!" She called, jogging over to the medic as she emerged from a small cottage that seemed to almost blend into the trees. "Where are the Chosen?"

"Hi Betos! They're inside, resting up." She had blood on her white clothes, but she looked relieved. "We had some trouble with an officer, but as far as I know he seems to be dead now."

Betos went slightly pale. "Is she…are they badly injured?"

"No, actually, the wounds are pretty superficial." Malinalli assured her. "It looks worse than it is."

"And everyone else is okay?" Betos smiled. "…That's…that really is a miracle."

"Tis the season, Miss! You want to see them?" She held aside the wood panel that functioned as a door and let the Commander step inside.

There weren't many wounded soldiers. A few civilians had taken injuries, but they were nothing to worry for. It was the Chosen who had taken the worst of the damage.

Gur-Rai was asleep on one of the cots, covered with a few layers of animal furs, and when Betos looked closer she saw Pangu was curled up under his chin. Dhar-Mon was laying on a wooden exam table, and the cuts on his back were deep and red. Malinalli slipped back inside and went back to him, taking a needle and thread to the edges of his wound.

Kon-Mai was sitting up in a corner, also under a blanket of hides. Her head was lolled forward and Betos went up to her and knelt down. "Kon-Mai?" She touched her shoulder. "Mordenna?"

"Don't." Kon-Mai's voice was more hoarse than usual. "Please, use my real name."

"Alright…" Betos sighed in relief and lifted the blanket. "May I join you?"

Kon-Mai nodded, and as Betos scooted under the blanket, Kon-Mai flopped over into her lap.

"…I would like a coat." She whispered. "One that fits. One that does not make me look ugly."

Betos ran a hand over Kon-Mai's cheek. She felt warmer than usual. "You are not ugly in anything you wear."

"Yes I am." She whimpered. "I must plan how I look carefully, so as not to besmirch my name…"

"Kon-Mai. You are beautiful." Betos insisted, her cheeks flushing as she said that. Kon-Mai looked up at her in surprise, and for a moment Betos was in a panic, until the Shrinemaiden turned back over in her lap and Betos felt her body relax.

"Rest now." She assured her. "In the morning, I will make you a cloak that does not hide your beauty.

.

.

Malinalli helped Dhar-Mon turn over onto his back again. "Does that hurt?"

"It tugs the stitches, but no, it does not hurt." He sounded dejected as he said that. "Malinalli, I am sorry…"

"For what?" She giggled.

"For neglecting to spend this evening with you, and instead chasing a demented ADVENT officer across a snowy forest." He sighed. "This sacred day is supposed to be for family…and that is what I want us to be."

She laughed, and then hopped up on the table and laid beside him, her loose curls spilling over him like a veil. "Today is for us, Dhar-Mon. You brought this heart back to me on one piece." She lifted her head. "That's the greatest gift you could have given me."

"…Well, mostly one piece." He said, cracking a smile. "…If you so desire my love, the night is not yet over…"

She raised a brow. "I'm surprised, Dhar-Mon, it's not like you to be so forward!" She pressed her lips to his chin as he began to stammer. "…Can you stand?"

"I would run if you asked." He said with a smile, as she helped him to his feet, intent to find a place more…private.

.

.

When Gur-Rai stirred again, he felt something fuzzy pressed against his chest. "Hm?" He reached down and chuckled. "How'd you get here, Pangu?"

"I brought him to you." A familiar voice said. "It seems he knows when his father is in danger."

Gur-Rai rolled his eyes. "Guess I couldn't get out of it completely but I'm fine with this possum being my only son~" He chuckled, blinking in the dim light. "…That you, Verge?"

"It is." Verge leaned over him. "You were quite beaten. It's almost impressive how badly he messed you up."

"Yeah, well look at him now." He tried to sit up, but as Verge sat beside him, decided against it. "I have a confession."

"And that is?"

"I forgot your socks." Gur-Rai smirked. "Sorry."

Verge rolled his eyes. "Oh no, and I wanted them so badly. Oh well."

"Want anything else?" Gur-Rai asked as he laid back on the cot again. Pangu scurried up to his neck and curled up in the crook of his shoulder. He could feel Verge's eyes scanning him.

"…No." Verge said softly. "I think I have everything I desire already."

.

.

The red man raised his head as the snow began to fall.

Beady eyes stared up into the black night sky, dotted with stars and only partially obscured by the lights of the Avenger. He had heard stories that before the tyranny of the Elders, this ship had been a mere supply vessel. Now, it was green and gold and dotted with tinsel.

The white haired woman stood at the window, staring down at him with a smile. He raised a brow to her, wondering if she knew what he knew. The future for her was as dark as this night.

The sun rose, painting the sky pink, and Miklós saw Senuna mouth the words to him: "Happy Holidays."

* * *

Summary: The Avenger makes a pit stop in Hungary before moving to their next destination, and Senuna and Zhang reflect on their pasts. In the morning, Gur-Rai wakes Kon-Mai because there's snow on the ground, and encourages her to come for a game with them. She complies, though does not wear a coat due to unresolved trauma. When she gets outside, the weather is cold enough to cause her pain, and Gur-Rai gives her his jacket.

Once inside, the group indulges in the warmth of the Avenger while Tiwaz and Tisiphone put up Christmas decorations, and then explain what Christmas is because those in ADVENT have had little experience with it. Gur-Rai and Verge are called for a mission, and Kon-Mai is joined by Betos, who tells her of her people's own traditions.

On the mission, the three soldiers come across people within the city center making plans to escape with someone named "Szent Miklós." Their comrade, Szalbocs, tells them that Szent Miklós is the Hungarian Santa Claus. Merely minutes later, they meet Miklós himself: a Muton clad in red leather who is escorting the citizens to safety. He requests the help of XCOM, to which Senuna agrees.

To counter this, the Elders put Officer Krlampos, a vicious ADVENT Officer with armor resembling a demon, in charge of quelling the escape attempt. He does so, and intercepts Gur-Rai and the Reapers at the first checkpoint. Chasing after the fleeing humans, he meets the Shrinemaiden and Hieromonk and lands them nearly fatal wounds, but Kon-Mai pushes past hers and battles him long enough for Miklós to come back. With the help of Gur-Rai, he corners Krlampos and sets him on fire alongside a tree.

The three Chosen are taken to the haven to recover from their wounds, and do so alongside their loved ones. Watching the sun rise, Miklós goes to see Senuna, and laments that her future is dark.

(Happy Holidays pals! I wish you all as much warmth and love as our favorite shark babies are getting right now!)


End file.
